Dice Avatar Legends: The Northern War - Characters

[jaydude]

For characters.

Inciting Incident:
For various reasons, the player characters all ended up imprisoned within a Fire Nation fortress, alongside an Earth Kingdom partisan named Han. Han revealed to the player characters that the Fire Nation was planning a major military operation that will give it control of the entire surrounding region, and he had infiltrated the fortress in order to steal important documents that, if given to the Earth Kingdom forces, would enable them to better defend themselves against it.

Alongside Han, the player characters managed to escape from their cells, before breaking into the fort commander's office and stealing the documents at the partisan's request. Soon afterwards however, their escape and the theft were discovered, and they were cornered in the fortress courtyard by the fort garrison and General Daizun, a Fire Nation officer of great renown, and the man planning the offensive that Luhan was trying to sabotage.

With the help of Yun, a flying bison belonging to one of their number, the player characters were able to escape against all odds, but Daizun knows how important those stolen documents are, and will do anything to retrieve them before they can reach the hands of the Earth Kingdom and potentially wreck his plans of conquest. With his forces hunting them down, the best bet for the player characters would probably be to get the documents to the Earth Kingdom's nearest bastion, where they can be used to take Daizun down for good.

Character Creation Basics:

1. Each individual Playbook can only be taken by a single player.
2. There are six types of Training available; Waterbending, Earthbending, Firebending, Airbending, Weapons and Technology. You start with one, but these are distinct from your Playbook; they largely serve to dictate what you can do with your Basic Techniques, and what Advanced Techniques you can use.
3. Since this game takes place during the Hundred Year War Era, no Airbenders or Metalbenders are allowed. The Air Nomads have been devastated by the genocide, and Toph has yet to invent Metalbending.

Spoiler: Character Playbooks

Playbook details are included in the PDF attached to this post.

Core Playbooks

• The Adamant will fix the world, even if it means breaking all the rules. Play the Adamant if you want to contend with what “doing right” means in a complicated world.
• The Bold fights to live up to their self-image and earn others’ trust and confidence. Play the Bold if you want to build your reputation and leadership skills.
• The Guardian defends someone close to them, steadfast and watchful. Play the Guardian if you want to be the first to see danger coming and the last line of defense.
• The Hammer is strong, tough, and looking for a deserving face to punch. Play the Hammer if you want to grapple with what force can and can’t solve.
• The Icon comes from an ancient tradition and inherits some serious standards to live up to. Play the Icon if you want to be torn between your heart and your duty.
• The Idealist has a past, full of suffering and tragedy, that strengthened their beliefs. Play the Idealist if you want to awaken the hope in everyone around you.
• The Pillar is an experienced team player and leader of a famous group of warriors. Play the Pillar if you want to be a savvy tactician who binds the team together.
• The Prodigy not only excels at their training, but has taken it even beyond their masters’ teachings. Play the Prodigy if you want to stretch the limits of your training and abilities.
• The Rogue is a rule-breaker, a joker, a delinquent—a figure on the fringes who snipes at the people in charge. Play the Rogue if you like the idea of being a troublemaker.
• The Successor comes from a powerful, tarnished lineage. Play the Successor if you want to struggle against your lineage as it threatens to draw you in.

Spoiler: Fundamentals for your characters

• You are all skilled martial artists. Regardless of your training, every one of you is a skilled martial artist prepared to spar and scuffle with competent opponents. Even companions who focus on technology have taken some self defense classes and can handle themselves in a fight. Nearly every corner of the Avatarverse is filled with people who have some degree of training—even if some of those people are nonbenders—but all of the PCs are particularly skilled and capable.
• You have all answered the call willingly. You might have been pressured to take on the role of a hero (or taken on the role because you feel guilty about your past actions), but you have chosen to be a part of the team. That’s why your team won’t fracture or collapse at the first conflict—one way or another, you want to be here fulfilling your group’s purpose with your fellow companions.
• You aren’t killers or villains. You’re a team of young heroes. You might have made mistakes or even hurt people in the past. But you aren’t killers or villains; you don’t solve problems by hurting people without regard for the consequences. If your team feels they need to take more drastic action—like killing a dangerous villain to save lives—you might grapple with the complexities of killing as a solution to difficult problems. But so far, none of you have crossed that line or gone down that dark path.
• You are friendly! While some of the other companions might give you a headache or make you roll your eyes at their silly antics, you are all friendly with each other. You might have only met during the inciting incident or still be learning about each other, but you know your adventures will draw you closer. It’s okay to be rivals with a teammate—or even a bit jealous of them sometimes—but you all are closer to friends than not. If ever your character comes to believe they are entirely at odds with the other PCs—or perhaps even bitter enemies or foes—that’s a sign that it might be time for you to make a new companion who fits in better with the group.
• You are still growing and learning. All of the heroes of Avatar Legends: The Roleplaying Game—regardless of age—are people who are still learning who they are and what they care about. Your two balance principles are in tension because you haven’t quite decided what you care about most, and your adventures are in part about discovering what truly matters to you!

Spoiler: Growth & Advancements Tracker

O-Ren Ichi​

Growth: [X][X][X][_]
Growth advancements:

• Take a new move from your playbook [_][_]
• Take a new move from another playbook [_][_]
• Raise a stat by +1 (maximum of +2 in any given stat)
• Shift your center one step [_][_]
• Unlock your Moment of Balance [_][_]

Liu Bing​

Growth: [X][X][X][_]
Growth advancements:

• Take a new move from your playbook [_][_]
• Take a new move from another playbook [_][_]
• Raise a stat by +1 (maximum of +2 in any given stat)
• Shift your center one step [_][_]
• Unlock your Moment of Balance [_][_]

Bamboo​

Growth: [X][X][X][X]
Growth advancements:

• Take a new move from your playbook [_][_]
• Take a new move from another playbook [_][_]
• Raise a stat by +1 (maximum of +2 in any given stat)
• Shift your center one step [_][_]
• Unlock your Moment of Balance [_][_]

 

[jaydude]

Character Sheet Template​

[TABS]
[TAB Background]
[B]Name:[/B] (Self-explanatory)
[B]Playbook:[/B] (Self-explanatory)

[B]Training:[/B] (Choose one from Waterbending, Earthbending, Firebending, Airbending, Weapons and Technology)
[B]Fighting Style:[/B] (This doesn't have to be more than just a short phrase or a rough description; it's just something than makes your character different from others with the same training)
[B]Background:[/B] (Choose up to two from Military, Monastic, Outlaw, Privileged, Urban and Wilderness)
[B]Hometown:[/B] (Either a canon location from the Avatarverse that exists during this era, or a homebrew one)
[B]Demeanor:[/B] (Each Playbook has six demeanors that complement it; you can pick one or more of these, or come up with your own)
[B]Look:[/B] (You don't need much more than their most noticeable features, but feel free to go nuts. If you decide to use image claims, please use ones of characters who wouldn't look completely out of place in the Avatarverse)

[B]History:[/B] (Each playbook comes with five questions, the answers of which explain how they came to be who they are today, and why they have this particular playbook. As long as you provide them, you can pretty much write out the history however you like. The questions are generally along the lines of the following.)
[LIST]
[*]The first question concerns your character’s motivation— why they act as they do and what’s most important to them.
[*]The next two questions are about the non-player characters (NPCs) important to you. The GM plays these characters, so if you get stuck, ask them for suggestions.
[*]The fourth question is about an object or symbol that belongs to your character—something really important to them, like Avatar Kyoshi’s makeup or Katara’s necklace.
[*]The fifth question is about why you’re committed to the group—why you choose to be here, with these companions, pursuing the group’s purpose. Make sure to use this connection to explain your character’s attachment to the group focus.
[/LIST]

[B]Connections:[/B] (Two of these, each determined by your Playbook.)
[LIST]
[*] Connection #1
[*] Connection #2
[/LIST]
[/TAB]
[TAB Conflict Stats]
[B]Stats:[/B] (Determined by Playbook, but you can add a single point to one of them during CC)
Creativity:
Focus:
Harmony:
Passion:

[B]Fatigue:[/B] [_][_][_][_][_] (Starts at zero)

[B]Conditions:[/B] (All start unmarked)
Afraid [_]
Angry [_]
Guilty [_]
Insecure [_]
Troubled [_]
[B]Balance:[/B] (Both Balance and Center start in the middle of the graph. Your Balance and Center are represented by "B" and "{_}" respectively here here.)
Principle #1 - [_]-[_]-[_]-{B}-[_]-[_]-[_] - Principle #2

[B]Moment of Balance:[/B] (Determined by Playbook)
[/TAB]
[TAB Playbook]
Playbook Feature: (Determined by Playbook)

Moves: (Pick two from your Playbook)
[LIST]
[*] Move #1
[*] Move #2
[/LIST]
[/TAB]
[TAB Techniques]
(Start with one Mastered Technique, and one Learned Technique. For each Technique, specify what approach it is - Defend and Maneuvre, Advance and Attack or Evade and Observe - and whether it's Learned, Practiced or Mastered)
[/TAB]
[TAB Character Advancement]
(All of these start unmarked.)

Growth: [_][_][_][_]

Growth Question: (Determined by Playbook)

Growth Advancements:
Take a new move from your playbook: [_][_]
Take a new move from another playbook: [_][_]
Raise a stat by +1 (maximum of +2 in any given stat): [_][_]
Shift your center one step: [_][_]
Unlock your Moment of Balance: [_][_]
[/TAB]
[TABS]

 

[Wandering Owl]

• Background
• Conflict Stats
• Playbook
• Techniques
• Character Advancement

• 
  Name: Li Bao
  Playbook: The Guardian
  
  Training: Earthbending
  Fighting Style: Seismic Sensing
  Background: Urban, Outlaw
  Hometown: Baju
  Demeanor: Serious
  Look: A heavyset figure with tan skin and long hair tied back in a braid.
  
  History: Showing a talent for earthbending as a young teenager, Li Bao was was put into training with a group of earthbending healers, who used seismic sensing in combination with traditional treatment, in order to "listen" to the body and learn what was wrong. He worked under Master Tian, a senior member of the group, and trusted him closely. This group had a strong code of honor and would not use their skills to hurt others or to let their own motives influence the work they did. They kept up this code even when the Fire Nation attacked their area, taking no part in the conflict except treating people who came to them directly. Li, still young and impulsive, was frustrated about how useless it all felt. When his parents and teachers weren't watching him, he started sneaking off to try and do something meaningful. He fell in with a small group of rebels, who were trying to disrupt and sabotage the Fire Nation's plans. His healing skills were useful in such a dangerous line of work, and in return he had the chance to learn combat-style earthbending. He was close friends with their leader, a girl named Miko, and over time grew to see her like a sister. However, caught word of what Li had been doing, and was furious that he was going against their sacred tenants. He tracked Li to the rebels' base one night, and made the location known to the local Fire Nation forces. The rebels were unprepared for the confrontation. As they struggled to hold their ground. Li, unable to stand back and watch the people he cared about suffer, stood his ground and told the rest of them to run while they still could. The stone wall he threw up behind him stalled the attackers just long enough, but Li was captured easily and thrown into prison, still clutching the handmade bracelet Miko had pressed into his palm before she fled. He's determined to escape, help any other prisoners he can, and find a way to fight back against the Fire Nation's brutality.
  
  Connections:
  
  • __________________ is my ward—they need me to have their back, end of story.
  • __________________ looks like they’re more than capable without my help; I’m glad some of us can take care of ourselves
• 
  Stats:
  Creativity: -1
  Focus: +1
  Harmony: +1
  Passion: +1
  
  Fatigue: [_][_][_][_][_]
  
  Conditions:
  Afraid [_]
  Angry [_]
  Guilty [_]
  Insecure [_]
  Troubled [_]
  
  Balance:
  Self-Reliance - [_]-[_]-[_]-{B}-[_]-[_]-[_] - Trust
  
  Moment of Balance: You’ve sworn to protect the people you care about, but balance is about finding your own place in the world as well. You know what you’re capable of accomplishing, and you step up to show the world your unique strength. Tell the GM how you put your own life on the line to defeat a villain or danger that seems unstoppable.
  
• 
  Playbook Feature: Protector's Burden
  You take it upon yourself to protect the people around you in general, but you have someone in particular you keep safe.
  Name your ward (choose a PC to start): ____________________________
  When they mark a condition in front of you, mark fatigue or a condition. Your ward can always call on you to live up to your principle—without shifting their balance away from center—and they take +1 to do it.
  
  At the beginning of each session, roll, taking +1 for each yes:
  
  • • Do you believe your ward listens to you more often than not?
  • • Have you recently protected them or helped them with a problem?
  • • Is there an immediate threat to your ward that you are aware of?
  
  On a 7-9, hold 1. On a 10+, hold 2. At any time, spend the hold to:
  
  • • Take a 10+ on any move to defend or protect them
  • • Track them down even if they are hidden or avoiding you
  • • Figure out what they’re up to without them knowing
  
  On a miss, you’re drifting apart on different paths. By the end of the session, you must choose one:
  
  • • Decide you’re the only one who can keep them safe; shift your balance twice toward Self-Reliance and keep them as your ward
  • • Decide they can handle life without your protection; shift your balance twice toward Trust and switch your ward to a new person
  You may also switch your ward if they leave play or are no longer present for some reason. When you switch your ward, you can switch to an NPC (if the GM agrees).
  
  Moves:
  
  • Suspicious Mind:When you watch a person carefully to figure them out, roll with Focus. On a 7-9, hold 1. On a 10+, hold 2. Spend your hold, 1-for-1, to ask their player questions while you observe or interact with them; they must answer honestly.
    • • Are you telling the truth?
    • • What are you truly feeling?
    • • What do you really want right now?
    • • What are you worried about?
    • • What are you about to do?
    On a miss, you tip your hand, but you can shift your balance away from center to ask 1 question right now.
  
  
  • Badge of Authority: You have some badge or symbol of authority from your background, something that makes you someone to be listened to, if not well-liked or entirely respected. When you give an NPC an order based on that authority and their recognition of it, roll with Passion. On a hit, they do what you say. On a 7-9, they choose 1:
    • • They do it, but in lackluster fashion
    • • They say they need something first to be able to do it
    • • They do it, but they’re going to talk to your superiors
      On a miss, the authority of your badge doesn’t sway them; they do as they please and you take -1 forward against them.
• 
  

  Detect the Heavy Step* (Defend and Maneuver, Seismic Sense, Mastered)​

  Use seismic sense to detect the instant an enemy is about to move against you. Become Prepared, and at any time during this exchange, you may lose your Prepared status and mark fatigue to interrupt an enemy as they use a technique; they must mark an additional 3-fatigue or you disrupt their attempt to act, canceling the technique.
  
  

  Stone Shield* (Defend and Maneuver, Learned)​

  Raise a defensive shield of stone that protects you or someone else. Mark 1-fatigue to raise the shield. Anyone protected by the Stone Shield gains Impaired—it’s tough to move inside. This shield blocks the first attack directed toward it each exchange. The Stone Shield cannot move and is not destroyed by an attack—it remains in place until you decide it comes down. You can elect to use the raw material in the wall for an earthbending technique, reducing its cost by 1-fatigue and removing the Stone Shield.
  
  
• 
  Growth: [_][_][_][_]
  
  Growth Question: Did you pursue a desire or goal of your own, outside of protecting others?
  
  Growth Advancements:
  Take a new move from your playbook: [_][_]
  Take a new move from another playbook: [_][_]
  Raise a stat by +1 (maximum of +2 in any given stat): [_][_]
  Shift your center one step: [_][_]
  Unlock your Moment of Balance: [_][_]
  

 

[Psychie]

Supportive, self-assured, quiet, tactical. The Pillar comes from a background in which they worked with, even led, a larger team. They know what it takes to work well with a group, and they bring that skillset to this new group of companions. Of course, they can’t just take charge and demand everyone act the way they want…right?

The Pillar is exactly that to the group, a “pillar” to hold up the rest, to support, help, and guide them. Sometimes that means the Pillar can be a quiet presence in the background; other times, it means the Pillar moves to the forefront and takes charge. The difficulty for the Pillar comes in figuring out which time is which, and what this group needs from them!

Spoiler: Principles

The Pillar’s two principles represent these two approaches to supporting the group. The Pillar’s Support principle is all about intentionally moving into a supportive position, helping others in a quieter, subtler way. Expressing Support means that the Pillar is figuring out how to help others on their own path, with their own choices. A Pillar like this eases the burdens on others in less obvious, but no less important, ways.

The Pillar’s Leadership principle, on the other hand, is all about directly and openly guiding others to the best versions of themselves. A Pillar committed to Leadership isn’t just being quietly supportive, but tries directly to shape their companions for the better, telling them how they should act, what they should do, how they should respond to danger, etc. This kind of Pillar isn’t going to sit on the sidelines—this kind of Pillar takes their position in the spotlight to lead by word and example.

The Pillar tries to be of most use for their friends and their group by balancing these two principles, acting in a leading role that supports others in their growth. Their Moment of Balance exemplifies this moment when the Pillar rallies the entire group around them. In that moment, the Pillar becomes the perfect support and the perfect leader for the whole group, helping everyone achieve their best selves all at once in perfect cohesion. Keep in mind that the Pillar’s Moment of Balance needs the group to be present to really trigger—it’s about the whole team, not the Pillar alone.

Spoiler: Squad Leader

The Pillar is the leader of a squad, a team of ten or so well-trained warriors, identifiable within the scope of your game—if you’re playing an Earth Kingdom-scope game, then they’re known at least throughout the Earth Kingdom, while if you’re playing a world-scope game, then they’re known throughout the world.

For the moment, the Pillar is traveling with this group of companions, having chosen to take a leave of absence from their other team. The Pillar’s squad still exists, and they can easily show up during play. But the Pillar has still chosen to be with these companions (the other PCs) for now, helping them with their worthy goals and giving them the support and leadership they need. If the Pillar would rather depart from the PCs and go back to their other team, then it’s likely time for the Pillar to exit play. If the Pillar is NEVER going back to their other team, then it’s likely time for the Pillar to change playbooks!

The Pillar has two styles of leadership, ways to earn Team—a Pillar-only special resource—that they can then spend to help their companions through their two styles of support. There is no limit to the amount of Team that the Pillar can accrue, and they keep their Team until they spend it.

To earn 1 Team, trigger a move—like openly calling on a companion to live up to their principle for Firm, or assessing a situation and giving a companion instructions based on the answers you receive for Guidance—you can only earn 1 Team for each move rolled.

When you spend Team for a style of support, you can’t spend multiple times for the same trigger—once per move or triggered moment, only!

Remember that you can change one style of leadership and one style of support at the end of each session, to make sure the triggers for each match your current view of how you support and lead.

• Background
• Conflict Stats
• Playbook
• Techniques
• Character Advancement

• 
  Name: O-Ren Ichi
  Playbook: The Pillar
  
  Training: Waterbending
  Fighting Style: War Fans
  Background: Monastic
  Hometown: Luhan Monastery
  Demeanor: Lighthearted and Warm
  Look:
  
  
  
  History:
  
  • How did you rise to lead a renowned squad or group? - Leadership of the group was a lifelong dream that I pushed myself towards from a young age
  • Who was your closest friend and confidant in the squad? - My dear friend and confidant, Nara. We were best friends from the time we both could walk, raised together in the Monastery where we learned how the martial arts we use to defend the various monks.
  • Who never thought you deserved to lead the group? - Ichen, my most ardent rival.
  • What uniform, heirloom, or symbol do you carry as a talisman of the group? - We always wear all white and silver.
  • Why are you committed to this group or purpose? - The monks of the Monastery took me and Nara in when we were babies, orphaned by soldiers of the Fire Nation. I owe them my life to defend them however I can.
  
  Connections: (Two of these, each determined by your Playbook.)
  
  • Liu Bing doesn’t really respect my accomplishments; she probably needs a lesson or two.
  • ____ seems like they would’ve been a good candidate to be a part of my squad; I’ll look after them.
• 
  Stats:
  Creativity: +1
  Focus: +1
  Harmony: +2
  Passion: -1
  
  Fatigue: [_][_][_][_][_] (Starts at zero)
  
  Conditions: (All start unmarked)
  Afraid [_]
  Angry [_]
  Guilty [_]
  Insecure [_]
  Troubled [_]
  
  Balance: (Both Balance and Center start in the middle of the graph. Your Balance and Center are represented by "B" and "{_}" respectively here here.)
  Support - [_]-[_]-[_]-{B}-[_]-[_]-[_] - Leadership
  
  Moment of Balance: You define yourself as a part of a larger group, and in this moment, the group defines itself by you. You rally them, move among them, saying the right things and providing the right guidance so your group works with perfect cohesion and confidence. Tell the GM what you say to each of your companions so that in this moment, you overcome an indomitable challenge, together.
  
• 
  

  Squad Leader​

  You were the leader of a small group of 10 or so well-trained warriors from a recognized and noble tradition.
  
  Where does your squad call home? ______________________
  
  Which are the most well known traits of your squad? (choose up to 3): our weapons and our fighting style
  
  What does your squad value? (choose 2): Justice, Duty
  
  Despite being the leader, you chose to travel with your new companions for the time being, until you’ve achieved this group’s purpose. Choose where your team is without you: stationed at an important location (our Monastery), performing traditional or ceremonial duties
  
  Within any group, you serve a role both subtle and overt, sometimes leading the team, sometimes helping it glue itself together. You earn Team through your leadership style, and you spend Team through your support style. At the end of each session, you may change 1 style of leadership and 1 style of support.
  
  Choose 2 styles of leadership. Earn 1-Team when…
  
  • Firm: …you openly call on a companion to live up to their principle.
  • Inspiring: …you live up to your principle and roll a hit.
  
  Choose 2 styles of support. Spend 1-Team when…
  
  • Comforting: …you spend time one-on-one in a quiet moment with a companion to clear a condition from them.
  • Invigorating: …you rally a companion to action in a tense moment to clear 2-fatigue from them.
  
  Moves:
  Understanding Mien: Take +1 to Harmony (max +3).
  
  Fighting like Dancing: When you advance and attack against a group of foes—or a foe who has previously defeated you—roll with Harmony instead of Passion.
  
  
• 
  Water Whip (Defend and Maneuver) - Learned
  Lash out with a tendril of water. Mark fatigue to inflict a condition or 2-fatigue, target’s choice.
  
  

  Slide Around the Blow (Evade and Observe, Mastered)​

  You move perfectly, slipping past strikes and demanding an opponent’s attention; a foe you are engaged with must remain engaged with you and can only use techniques against you in the next exchange. If no foe is engaged with you, you may slip through the fight to engage a new foe (no foe may mark fatigue to stop you).
  
• 
  Growth: [X][X][X][_]
  
  Growth Question: Did you help a companion find a significant success with their issues, or lead the group in finding a significant collective success?
  
  Growth Advancements:
  Take a new move from your playbook: [_][_]
  Take a new move from another playbook: [_][_]
  Raise a stat by +1 (maximum of +2 in any given stat): [_][_]
  Shift your center one step: [_][_]
  Unlock your Moment of Balance: [_][_]
  

 

[Sherwood]

• Background
• Conflict Stats
• Playbook
• Techniques
• Character Advancement

• 
  Name: Liu Bing
  Playbook: The Razor
  
  Training: Weapons
  Fighting Style: Staff Fighting
  Background: Military
  Hometown: Hari Bulkan
  Demeanor: Fierce
  Look:
  
  
  History: (Each playbook comes with five questions, the answers of which explain how they came to be who they are today, and why they have this particular playbook. As long as you provide them, you can pretty much write out the history however you like. The questions are generally along the lines of the following.)
  
  • Why were you chosen to be honed, perfected, and used by your masters? - Liu was raised to be a soldier from a young age in the Fire Kingdom, striving to do what she had thought was right by the Firelord, pushing herself to be the very best warrior she could be even though she is not a firebender. Her skills with the spear were unparalleled, drawing the attention of her superiors and marking her for many great things.
  • Who was the former master you were closest to? - Her training officer, Lt. Oban. He saw her potential from an early age and took her under his wing, giving her special training that put her above her fellow soldiers in skill.
  • Who helped give you the will you needed to break with your masters and be something more? - It was the commander of Liu's team that was the driving force to her breaking away from the indoctrination of the Fire Nation and question her orders for the first time. While hunting for insurgents, Commander Mako ordered her team to wipe out a village of non-combatants. Liu refused to do so, not wanting to be a part of wholesale slaughter of innocents. She was immediately arrested and sent away to the prison where she first met the others and started to learn the unvarnished truth of how brutal that the Fire Nation was being in this war. When the time came to run, she leapt at the chance to undo some of the crimes that she was unwittingly a part of.
  • What totem of your masters can you not bring yourself to throw away? - Her old rank insignia means a lot to her, back when she believed in the honor of being a part of the great Fire Nation's military.
  • Why are you committed to this group or purpose? - Atonement. While she was never involved in the brutal practices of her people, she still holds onto the guilt that she helped perpetuate many injustices on the world even in some small way. It is her fervent hope that someday this war will be over and she can return to her home once more.
  Things that haunt me:
  
  • I betrayed a person who trusted me in a vital moment
  • I destroyed someone trying to save me from myself or my masters
  • I delivered an innocent into the clutches of my masters
  • I trained someone younger than me using the same awful methods
  
  Connections:
  
  • Bamboo seems to be able to connect to other people openly, freely, and easily. I wish they would show me how.
  • I see O-ren as lacking control. Maybe I can help hone them, at least a little bit.
• 
  Stats:
  Creativity: +1
  Focus: +3
  Harmony: -1
  Passion: +0
  
  Fatigue: [_][_][_][_][_] (Starts at zero)
  
  Conditions: (All start unmarked)
  Afraid [_]
  Angry [_]
  Guilty [_]
  Insecure [_]
  Troubled [_]
  Balance: (Both Balance and Center start in the middle of the graph. Your Balance and Center are represented by "B" and "{_}" respectively here here.)
  Control - (_)-(B)-(_)-{_}-(X)-(X)-(X) - Connection
  
  Moment of Balance: You were taught to control yourself, and that to give of yourself, to connect, is to lose control. But now, you see that connection isn’t weakness; it is a choice, a true way of controlling your self. You seize that now, choosing to embrace connection to others and spring yourself to impossible heights. Tell the GM how you save those you care about from an outrageously dangerous threat or problem.
  
• 
  Playbook Feature:
  You were once the weapon of powerful figures—your masters. In your time as your masters’ weapon, you hurt people, even those who looked to you for friendship, leadership, protection, or support. You must make amends. Choose four mistakes you’re trying to make up for (on the back of the sheet). Once per session, when you have tried your best to prove that you are a different, better person now through your actions, roll, taking +1 for each “yes” to the following questions:
  • Did you make amends directly to a person you harmed?
  • Are you at your center?
  • Did someone honestly thank you for your efforts or forgive you for your mistakes?
  
  On a hit, you feel the spark of hope—you’re making progress. On a 7-9, choose 1. On a 10+, choose 2 (you can choose the same option
  twice), or unlock the next Connection balance track space (see Disconnected).
  • Clear a condition
  • Mark growth
  • Shift your Balance toward Connection
  
  On a miss, something’s off—you don’t feel you’ve changed. Choose someone here to ask what more you can do—they will tell you, and the GM will shift your balance twice based on what they say.
  
  Disconnected
  Your Balance begins play at +2 Control; you can still shift it by one step when you make your character.
  Your Connection principle starts play locked—you cannot shift your balance higher than +0 Connection. If you would shift your balance to a locked value, you lose your balance, but your center cannot shift higher than the highest unlocked Connection value. When you unlock Connection +3, treat your balance track as normal.
  When you shift your center to +1, +2, and +3 Connection for the first time, choose a companion to whom you have connected. They give you one move from their playbook (ignoring advancement limits).
  
  Honed
  When you sublimate your feelings to be effective, clear conditions equal to one plus your Control and cross off one unmarked condition—
  you can no longer mark that condition for any reason. When you shift your center toward Connection, you may restore all crossed off conditions.
  You may live up to your Control principle by shifting balance toward Control instead of marking fatigue.
  
  Moves:
  
  
  • • Move #1 Air-cutting Edge - Take +1 Focus (to a max of +3)
    • Move #2 Mind of Steel - When you advance & attack or evade & observe with fewer conditions marked than your highest principle,
      you can roll with Focus instead of the normal stat.
• 
  Parry (Defend and Maneuver) - Learned
  Stop a foe’s attack before it connects. Choose a foe who used advance and attack this exchange; during advance and attack, mark fatigue—1-for-1—to cancel an attack they use against you after they pay the costs.
  
  
  

  Pinpoint Thrust (Advance and Attack) - Mastered​

  Using a thrusting or stabbing weapon, go straight for the target with precision and accuracy. Mark 1-fatigue and inflict 2-fatigue and Impaired on your foe. You may mark an additional 1-fatigue to move yourself to a new position within reach immediately; any foes engaged with you may mark 1-fatigue to block this movement.
  
  
• 
  (All of these start unmarked.)
  
  Growth: [X][X][X][_]
  
  Growth Question: (Determined by Playbook)
  
  Growth Advancements:
  Take a new move from your playbook: [_][_]
  Take a new move from another playbook: [_][_]
  Raise a stat by +1 (maximum of +2 in any given stat): [_][_]
  Shift your center one step: [_][_]
  Unlock your Moment of Balance: [_][_]
  

 

[Purr]

• Background
• Conflict Stats
• Playbook
• Techniques
• Character Advancement
• Notes

• 
  Name: "Bamboo" (Open-name). Kale ("Ka-LEH," his closed-name. See History.)
  Playbook: Icon
  
  Training: Waterbending
  Fighting Style: The Five Forms:.
  
  Spoiler: The Five Forms

  Bamboo's martial methods use five creatures of the jungle as inspiration (Note: none of these provide advantages; it's all just RP flavoring):
  Viper - Defend and Maneuver, feats that require accuracy, moving swiftly, suddenly, gracefully, and threateningly (like a snake).
  Tiger - Advance and Attack, used in times where aggression, strength, and ferocity are called for. Clawing attacks with Ice Claws are a plus (Snow Tiger?).
  Monkey - Evade and Observe/Parkour, brachiation, swimming, and non-walking travel. Great when needing to confuse or evade opponents.
  Mantis - Stealth, keeping out of sight, aiding another via physical intervention (Mantis-trapping a limb meant for your buddy's face). Anytime he needs a great grip.
  Crane - Keeping balance regardless of height, weather, etc. Keeping absolutely still for long periods, impressive and beautiful forms. Great meditation stance.
  
  RP descriptions of The Five Forms.
  Viper - Fluid, deadly, moves only slightly to avoid attacks, just enough to dodge without using excess distance. Uses speed, accuracy, striking at weak points.
  Tiger - Fierceness, aggressiveness, fast and powerful combinations. Fluid, flexible, and graceful.
  Monkey - Tricky, unpredictable, energetic, acrobatic. Has false attacks and feints focusing on surprise.
  Mantis - Super-low stances, lightning-fast strikes. Good at trapping kicks and punches with mantis-claw techniques. Redirect their opponents' force.
  Crane - Beautiful, sweeping circular motions. Tall stances, high kicks, counterattacks with crane fist. Fan weapon and double knives.
  
  Background: Monastic, Wilderness.
  Hometown: (Homebrew) The tribe calls themselves the "Rainbow Children." Their name for their realm is "The Celestial Wildlands." Their home is "Mother's Arms" named for the huge tree at the center of the village not far from a great waterfall.
  Demeanor: Playful, Curious, Caring, Wise, Foolish, Naïve.
  Look: (this but no tattoos, bronze-skinned, and about 15 years old. He seems very fit, shy-looking, and actively aware of his surroundings)
  
  (Image credit: Imgur.com)
  
  History:
  
  Spoiler: History

  • What tradition do you represent as its icon? A seeker of knowledge, especially lost or ancient wisdom, techniques and recipes used for the greater good, preferably in ways that are compassionate in nature, leading to happiness and the aiding of others (very Buddhist, right?).
  
  • Why can’t you set down the role? Because Bamboo is deathly afraid of letting down his tribe. Bamboo loves them all - human, animal, and spirit - and out from that love, Bamboo feels the need to do right by them. He feels he is what he is because of them.
  
  • Who was your chief mentor, teaching you the nature of your burden and its value? Bamboo has two. His brilliant mother, Ahnah ("Wise Woman" in Inuktitut, the language of the Innuit) and his gentle father, Moonshackle (the tribe has two names - an open name which they share with others and a secret name that they believe grants power over them and is only shared with people they truly love; it also acts as a password - Bamboo's secret name is "Kale" ("Ka-LEH" which is a Hawaiian warrior's name and means "Discovery" in their secret dialect). He has other temple masters, but the two that have had the largest influence on him are his parents, two loving people from very different backgrounds.
  
  • Who showed you that even with the weight of your burden, you could still find ways to play? Willow, Bamboo's older sister and fellow monk, who always sees the bright side of things . She is better at fighting, healing, and herbalism than Bamboo. She knows Bamboo best and helped him greatly with his burden. Bamboo thinks the world of Willow.
  
  • What token of your burden and tradition do you always carry? A special holy book kept in some protective, maybe metal, container (Bamboo is a Waterbender and most books and water just don't get along!)? Like a combination of his monastery's teachings, a map of the world as his mother knows it (complete with names, notes, and places you'd like us to go), along with a journal to add additional notes to (Bamboo would like to make a translated copy of the scroll we've got)? Having this would keep Bamboo along his monastic path, too.
  
  • Why are you committed to this group or purpose? Because Bamboo believes in both with all that he is. This is not just because it is most of what he knows; Bamboo's people genuinely follow a path that Bamboo is wholeheartedly in love with. The Rainbow Children believe in living in harmony with nature, doing right by the spirits of their ancestors, fighting for what is right, but otherwise not preferring to shed blood at all. They are vegetarians. They are kind of like a combination of Buddhist monks and the tribes of the Polynesians. They value and practice wisdom and kindness. They don't travel from their Celestial Wildlands because they believe they have already found heaven there. However, their lack of traveling has made them xenophobic and the arrival of Ahnah (and her Sky Bison, Fuwafuwa), made them realize they were indeed afraid of the unknown. So one reason they send Bamboo out into the brave wide world is to come back with the lessons learned by the outside world; if the tribe is unwilling to go out and learn, the next best thing is to send one of their tribe who will go out and bring the wisdom to them! One who has never said "no"o them!
  
  It's all great! For the tribe...
  
  Connections: (Two of these, each determined by your Playbook. Pending PCs' approval.)
  
  • O-Ren Ichi seems to not fully understand what it means that I’m the icon of my tradition…and I kind of like feeling free around them.
  • Liu makes me feel better about my responsibilities and my burden with a smile and a few kind words.
• 
  Stats:
  Creativity: 0 (Is very naturally creative but has spent so much time with books and training that he has only so much experience being creative)
  Focus: +1 (Can focus well thanks to his training)
  Harmony: +2 (Is largely at peace with himself and who he is, just not these responsibilities that take him away from his home. Extra point at creation added here)
  Passion: -1 (Introverted, doesn't like to fight or hurt even when he must)
  
  Fatigue: [ ][ ][ ][_][_] (Starts at zero)
  
  Conditions: (All start unmarked)
  Afraid [_]
  Angry [_]
  Guilty [ ]
  Insecure [_]
  Troubled [ ]
  Balance: (Both Balance and Center start in the middle of the graph. Your Balance and Center are represented by "B" and "{_}" respectively here here.)
  Role - (_)-(_)-(_)-{B}-(_)-(_)-(_) - Freedom
  
  Moment of Balance: "Others have laid a path for you that you cannot escape, but balance means you understand the limits of their vision. You make the role your own in this moment, charting a new path for yourself and your tradition. Tell the GM how your new understanding of your burdens forges a new way forward for everyone."
  
• 
  Playbook Feature: (Determined by Playbook)
  You are an icon of your burden and tradition. You are expected to be its exemplar, its single most important representative, trained up from a young age and saddled with the weight of history. You have been told that you are vital to the world.
  
  Spoiler: 3 Icon Responsibilities and Prohibitions

  Choose 3 responsibilities of your burden and tradition you are expected to assume: Protecting humanity from natural disasters and dark spirits; destroying dangerous creatures; overthrowing tyrants; serving and defending rightful rulers; performing rituals; providing aid and succor to the downtrodden; searching for hidden histories and artifacts; guarding nature from threats and destruction; safekeeping records and relics. Choose 3 prohibitions of your burden and tradition: Never refuse an earnest request for help; never express great emotion; never run from a fight; never start a fight; never deny someone knowledge or truth; never use your role for gain or profit; never intervene in a community without invitation; never withhold forgiveness; never steal or cheat.
  
  Three Icon Responsibilities:
  

  • Searching for hidden histories and artifacts.
  • Performing rituals.
  • Providing aid and succor to the downtrodden.

  All of the things his mother, Ahnah, did which caused her to need the safety and security of the Rainbow Children.
  
  Three Icon Prohibitions:
  

  • Never withhold forgiveness. (To Bamboo, this means not hating anyone; forgiving without forgetting, wishing them well)
  • Never steal or cheat. (To play within the agreed-upon rules of a game, win or lose, regardless of fairness).
  • Never deny someone knowledge or truth. - (This can get Bamboo in trouble if he gets captured and interrogated, except that Bamboo selects what truths and knowledge to provide - that Bamboo must provide something is clear; that Bamboo alone decides what that content is, is only wise).
  
  Moves: (Pick two from your Playbook, 1 added from Growth)
  
  • Move #1 - Yip Yip! You have an animal companion large enough to ride. Name them and choose their species: Smoochie the female Sky Bison! Awooo! When you fight beside your animal companion, mark 1-fatigue to become Favored for an exchange • When something hurts your animal companion, mark a condition • When you and your friends travel via your animal companion, everyone clears all fatigue.
  • Move #2 - Otter-Penguins, Unagi, and Hot Springs. When you visit a new inhabited location you might know about, roll with Harmony. On a 7–9, ask 1. On a 10+, ask 2. PCs who interact with one of the answers clear 1-fatigue or mark growth. • What’s the best local pastime? • What interesting locations are nearby? • Who is the most famous person here? • What special tradition is prized by locals? • What’s the most interesting legend locals recount about this place? On a miss, tell the GM what you expected to find; they will tell you how this place is different!
  • Move #3 - An Open Mind (from Prodigy) - You can learn techniques from other skills and trainings, as long as you have a teacher. You can learn up to three such techniques, total. Take a +1 on the training move to learn such techniques.​
• 
  (Start with one Mastered Technique, and one Learned Technique. For each Technique, specify what approach it is - Defend and Maneuver, Advance and Attack, or Evade and Observe - and whether it's Learned, Practiced or Mastered. Three more Techniques available from The Open Mind Move).
  

  Wall of Perfection - Defend and Maneuver (Focus) - Mastered​

  Create a perfect wall of defense around yourself and any allies directly next to you; mark 1-fatigue to block a single attack towards the wall or keep an enemy at bay who tries to penetrate the wall.
  
  

  Refresh - Evade and Observe, Healing (Creativity or Harmony) - Learned​

  Apply water to reinvigorate and close wounds on a willing target. Mark fatigue to heal an ally in reach who is evading and observing. Clear an appropriate status from them, and clear 3-fatigue or two conditions.
  
  (An Open Mind- You can learn techniques from other skills and trainings, as long as you have a teacher. You can learn up to three such techniques, total. Take a +1 on the training move to learn such techniques.)
  Technique One -
  Technique Two -
  Technique Three -
  
  
• 
  (All of these start unmarked.)
  
  Growth: [_][_][_][_]
  
  Growth Question: (Determined by Playbook)
  • Did you accomplish a feat worthy of your burden and tradition?
  
  Growth Advancements:
  Take a new move from your playbook: [_][_]
  Take a new move from another playbook: [_][_]
  Raise a stat by +1 (maximum of +2 in any given stat): [_][_]
  Shift your center one step: [_][_]
  Unlock your Moment of Balance: [_][_]
  
• 
  Fort Baju - the Fire Nation prison where our group was held prisoner until we freed ourselves (with Yún's help!).
  Fort Tongdao - the Earth Kingdom fortress we are attempting to aid.
  
  Remember - make a token of Bamboo's past. Something simple but useful. Perhaps a map his mother, Ahnah, made for him? Better yet, a book! A copy perhaps of her journal along with notes with a large section dedicated to the monastery's teachings, philosophies, and roads to spiritual growth. This would give Bamboo a great way to remember his people and continue along his spiritual paths by practicing what is writ in this book. Perhaps it's written in the language of his people and therefore almost useless to those who cannot read the ancient language? Plus the maps give Jaydude the ability to send us anywhere while also working with Bamboo's Playbook Move, Otter-Penguins, Unagi, and Hot Springs. Win-win? =)
  
  Practicing the martial arts and waterbending alone is not enough; I would like Bamboo to continue to learn from the wisdom of his masters. Like so.