Making a character in Alice is Missing is simple. All you have to do is read and listen. Now I know what you’re thinking: Isn’t that technically true for all TTRPGs? You’re reading the instructions and listening to anything your GM has to tell you. Technically, you’re right, but Alice is Missing is a little different. 

The Characters

There are only FIVE character options in Alice is Missing: Jack Briarwood, the older brother; Dakota Travis, the best friend; Charlie Barnes, the one who moved away; Evan Holwell, the one with the crush; and Julia North, the secret girlfriend. If you’re a player rather than the facilitator, your options are between Jack, Dakota, Evan, and Julia, because the facilitator automatically gets Charlie Barnes. 

If you have the Silent Falls Expansion pack, you gain these additional options: Jordan Foster, the childhood friend, Hollis Briarwood, the younger sibling, and Steven Yates, the ex-boyfriend. There’s also an additional option for the facilitator: Morgan Bridges, the one who moved away. 

But even with the expansion pack, the rules for character creation remain the same! You look through the various character options, picking the one you most want to play or that hasn’t been picked yet, and then you go from there! 

While the digital tool does have artwork for each of the characters, what these characters look like is completely up to you! Alice herself is a white girl, while her older brother Jack is black. The sky is the limit when it comes to deciding what everyone looks like. 

Character Cards

While I have you here, we’re going to take a look at one of the cards just to make sure you understand what’s going on when you choose one. Let’s examine Dakota Travis, the Best Friend.

Now, each card has four components: the character's name and their relationship to Alice, their background with Alice, the secret they have involving Alice, and the contents of the voicemail they left Alice. 

As stated previously, Dakota is the best friend. The background section of this card asks, “What about Alice do other people sometimes find annoying, but you appreciate?” Answering this is just about character creation it’s also about building out elements that could be brought up during the story as you try to piece together what happened to Alice.

Dakota’s secret with Alice is that you two snuck out the night before she vanished. Dakota and Alice were doing something they weren't supposed to, and you, the player, have to decide what it is. More than likely, this secret will come up in play and have further repercussions with the story unfolding. 

Last but not least, the voicemail. Dakota called Alice back to make sure she was okay after what happened. 

Wrap Up

And that’s really all there is to Alice is Missing character creation! After you’ve chosen your character and figured out the information on the card, save the voicemail that happens last out of everything. You’ll introduce your character to the others, including how you’re tied to Alice, and figure out how you know each other.

Good luck on the search, and I hope you find her soon. 

‍

V.J. Harris (they/he/something funny) is a professional TTRPG designer and full-time game master. Play with V.J. here.