Sorrow in Haven Character Creation

Sorrow in Haven is a dangerous game, characters can perish from combat rather easily, traps in the underworld are brutal and unforgiving, and social interactions can turn deadly if you insult the wrong fellow.  As such, I want character creation to be quick.

1) Ability scores

• Roll the 7 scores
• If the total modifiers are less than +1, this is a henchman, set aside and start over
• Assign the scores to the abilities you prefer

2) Background [Optional]

• Roll on the Background table or choose one from the list

3) Select a Character Class

• Choose one of the 6 classes
• write down initial abilities, choose 3rd initial ability

4) Secondary Scores

• Calculate secondary ability scores based on primary ability scores
• END and VIT determined by CON and class
• Damage determined by class

5) Memories and Connections [Optional]

• Roll on the random memory inspiration table ans answer character questions
• Roll and choose form the list of character connections

6) Starting Loot and Gear

• Roll for starting cash
• Buy gear

Nothing particularly mind bending or earth shattering there, but the process allows for 2 things

1. the option stuff is truly optional - skip it and a character can be built in 5 minutes
2. the optional stuff can be done after the first adventure - so players can create characters that, if they survive, can explore their pasts and how they know each other.

Non-Optional Stuff

In a game where a character can die off in the first encounter, have fast character generation so the player can get engaged again immediately is important. However, the background, memories, and connections help create a more fleshed out character that, if they survive, has a place within the world and within the party.  

Background

This works to inspire a starting point for memories as well as offer a soft mechanical advantage in play. This is a single die roll or choice from a chart.

Memories

Players spending tons of time creating backgrounds for characters is fine, but they don't always mesh up with the vision or the campaign.  The Memories of the Past questions ask strange questions or give inspirational moments for the player to riff off of to help flesh out their character.  This also becomes an interactive process if the other players help refine the answers. This can quite some time depending on how gregarious the players are.

Connections

I've played in far too many games where we either hand-waved or ignored the fact that the characters, as developed, had no place adventuring together - paladins and thieves, barbarians and wizards, good clerics and clearly seedy characters - it always set my teeth on edge.  The Connections section, inspired by Fiasco,  has no mechanical effect, it simply sets up the relationship between characters.  The more characters there are, the more complex this process becomes, but the more satisfying the results.