So, a sci-fi setting is calling to you, and you and your fellow players and the game master (GM) have settled on Coriolis: The Third Horizon, but you have absolutely no idea how to play it? No worries, your friendly “local gamer is here to help!

Technically speaking, the first thing you should do with this game is determine what kind of group y'all are if that isn’t already determined by the type of game the Watch wants to run! You have the option to be traders, mercenaries, explorers, pilgrims, or a secret fifth thing (if you and GM come up with another group). You figure out what’s going on with your spaceship - yes, you have a SPACESHIP! And then finally, the patrons and nemesis of the group. You can make a character without doing this, but if this part is done first, it can help you make someone that fits into the adventure.

Okay, now, onto your actual character! There are 14 steps to completing a character in this game! Let’s go through every single one of them!

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Some Things to Know

You have four attributes. Strength is Raw, physical strength and physique. Agility is your overall body control and motor skills. Wits is intelligence, alertness, and sharpness of mind. Empathy is your charisma, empathy, and ability to manipulate others. Each of your attributes has skills that are tied to them and referenced when you are rolling to use a specific skill. 

Each of your skills has a skill level. They ranged from Novice to Capable, to Competent, to Experienced, to Master. 

1. Background

Your character’s background is broken down into Origin and Upbringing. Those two determine where you're from, how you grew up, and whether or not you’re a human or a humanite (humans modified for a specific location). Your origin determines which star system you’re from AND whether you're a Firstcome (the people who colonized the area hundreds of years ago) or a Zenithian (newcomers to the Third Horizon). The rules state that you’re supposed to roll on a table to determine the star system, but this has no mechanical effect, so if you wanted to choose something specific, just ask The Watch.  

For Upbringing, you choose between Plebeian (lower class of the Horizon), Stationary (you were raised on a major asteroid or space station), or the Privileged (highest of the social strata). Your upbringing will determine your attribute points, skill points, reputation, and starting capital

2. Concept

Your Concept is what you did for a living up until this point. Concepts much like upbringing will affect your attributes, skills, talents, and gear. It also decides some of your relationships and a personal problem. There are 11 concepts (artist, data spider, fugitive, negotiator, operative, pilot, trailblazer, preacher, scientist, ship worker, soldier), and each of those concepts has 3 sub-concepts to allow for specificity, which determines your network of contacts, for a total of 33. 

While concepts aren’t in charge of decking your appearance or relationships with your fellow players, they do have suggestions that can be a starting point.

3. Reputation Score

Your reputation establishes your social position and standing in the Horizon. The better the score, the easier it is to manipulate people, and people will treat you better. Your upbringing and concept modify your score. However, if you play a Humanit,e it’s lowered. Over the course of the game, your reputation can and likely will change, for better or for worse.

4. Name & Appearance 

I don’t know about you, but usually, choosing a name and appearance happens a lot sooner for me, but for this game, it makes sense to wait until you’ve figured out at least your concept since that has suggestions for what those individuals typically look like. 

5. Attribute Points

Attributes range from 1 to 5; the higher the number, the better. You get a pool of points from your upbringing. Each attribute can have a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4, save for the key attribute of your concept, which can have 5 points put into it. 

6. Hit Points and Mind Points

Your hit points and mind points determine your physical and mental well-being. If either of them drops to 0 without further intervention, that is the end of your character, whether it's because you died or you turned into a “raving lunatic.” 

Your hit point pool is equal to your Strength + Agility, and your mind point pool is equal to your Empathy + Wit. 

7. Skills

There are 16 skills in the game broken down between general skills (dexterity, force, infiltration, manipulation, melee combat, observation, ranged combat, and survival) and advanced skills (command, culture, data djinn, medicurgy, mystic powers, pilot, science, and technology). 

Your upbringing determines your skill point pool that is used to increase your chosen skills. A skill level can range from 0 - 5, with the higher the better. Concept skills can be raised to skill level 3, and all the others can be raised to skill level 1. You’ll increase your skills through the course of the game. 

For general skills, you don’t have to have a skill level in them to still use them; you just roll the relevant ability score. For advanced skills you can only roll for it if it is level 1 or higher. 

8. Talent

Talents are tricks, cheats, and abilities that give an edge over others. When creating your character, you get 3 - 4 talents. A group talent that you choose together based on what you built your group out to be. A personal talent that is based on your character concept. An Icon talent, connected to your personal Icon, and if you play a humanite, you get an additional talent. 

You can get more talents through gameplay by trading in experience points, with a few exceptions around cybernetic or bionic implants, group talents, and Icon talents. 

9. Icon and Icon Talent

Almost every person in the Horizon believes in the power of the Icons and the protection they offer from the Dark between the Stars. Your character is born under the sign of one of the Icons, making a tangible impact on your life and lending you power. 

The nine Icons are The Lady of Tears, The Dance, The Gambler, The Merchant, The Deckhand, The Traveler, The Messenger, The Judge, and The Faceless. Each Icon has one talent. 

10. Personal Problem

You have a history. You’ve been through something before the game that haunts your past or threatens your future. Whatever it is, it’s your personal problem. Each concept has three suggested personal problems you can choose from the OR create your own! Personal problems are narrative tools for the GM to pull from. 

11. Relationships

When the game starts, you already have relationships with your fellow PCs (unless stated otherwise). You’ll use a short sentence to describe your relationship with each of your companions. This can help roleplay as well as give the GM threads to pull on throughout the story. 

12. Gear

What gear is, is pretty self explanatory: it's your weapons, clothing armor etc. Your concept gives you a few choices. You can also purchase extra gear during gameplay - for the right price.

13. Crew Position

So you’ve got your spaceship, and now you all need to decide who's going to be in what position! There are five crew positions: Captain, Engineer, Pilot, Sensor Operator, and Gunner. These positions are mostly important during space combat. The position you start off with doesn’t have to be the position you do each time. What position you have can change during gameplay as you and the group see fit. 

And that’s it! You’re ready to venture forth into the Third Horizon!