\chapter{Traits}

Most of the traits in LORE CORE are applicable in any Fantasy or Medieval setting. Nevertheless,
there are many traits which a fantasy setting makes available that would not be useful or 
even make sense in a general environment. Additionally, not all traits are appropriate to all
genres, in such cases, then appropriate or inappropriate genres for a trait are listed after
the trait description.

\section{Superlative Traits}

\subsection{Mental Traits}

\trait{Master of the Old Ways}
{``You see, it really is an elementary use of an linear accelerator to warfare ends.''}
{Decayed Future}
{This character is somehow extremely well versed in the use, repair, and modification of
pre-fall technology. This may be due to study, intense intellect, or because they are
actually from that time period. When attemping to perform work on pre-fall technology,
he gets a +4 on any relevant Mind rolls.

This is the superlative form of Old World Tinkerer.
}

\subsection{Physical Traits}

\trait{Quick Healer}
{``It's just a flesh wound.''}
{All}
{Due to an incredible metabolism, supernatural enchantment, or sheer force of will, this
character is able to heal at a rate faster than most normal humans. He is able to heal
at twice the natural rate (one level every 3.5 days unassisted or two levels a day assisted
by appropriate Medicine checks).

This trait is only available is the LORE COMBAT supplement is in use.}

\subsection{Social Traits}

\trait{Diplomatic Immunity}
{``Arresting me would lead to war and no one wants that, do they?''}
{All}
{This character is a high ranking official of a foreign power. She might be an ambassador or
a bishop. The position she holds acts as a shield against minor offenses and deflects most
of the consequences of major ones. 

A character with diplomatic immunity does need to be careful not to go too far in their 
excesses, however. Although jail may not await them, they might still be deported or sent 
back to their source of support where the lienency granted by being on foreign soil is absent.
Furthermore, diplomatic immunity might be revoked by the home country if sufficiently 
objectionable activity were carried out. Truly heinous crimes might lead to war and capture
as a prisoner.}

\trait{Noble}
{``It's good to be the King.''}
{All}
{This character is a high-ranking noble in his home country. He is a duke, crown-prince or
even a proper king. His status grants him extreme latitude in action as well as substantial
authority in most social situations.}

\subsection{Origin Traits}


\subsection{Supernatural Traits}

\trait{Font of Power}
{``I can feel the energy coursing through my veins...''}
{Magical}
{This character is overflowing with magical energy to the point that it is palpable to those
around her. To her, magic is a toy and the world is her playground. When casting magic, this
character gets +4 on her rolls.

This is the superlative form of Touch of Ma\`{\j}\'{\i}\c{c}k.
} 

\trait{Immortality}
{``Death has no meaning for me.''}
{Low-Magical, Magical, Decayed Future}
{A character who is immortal fundamentally
cannot die, even when subjected to enormous punishment. Although this may give them much leeway,
they are not invincible. Sufficient effort and planning can seal them away, neutralize, banish, or 
simply render them useless.

This trait is most common found in supernatural creatures such
as vampires, ghosts, or higher beings. 

GMs should be wary of allowing this trait in PCs and make
sure that they are aware that this is not a license to try anything.}

\section{Positive Traits}

\subsection{Mental Traits}

\trait{Old World Tinkerer}
{``See, if I press this button, it makes a nice humming sound. Usually.''}
{Decayed Future}
{This character has spent some time playing with the technology of pre-fall society. Although
he is no master, he can usually get equipment working when it isn't too damaged or unfamiliar.
When making rolls to use pre-fall technology, he gets +2 to relevant Mind rolls.
}

\subsection{Physical Traits}

\subsection{Social Traits}

\subsection{Origin Traits}

\trait{Noble Birth}
{``Do you \textbf{know} who my father is?''}
{All}
{The character was born into the line of a family of some repute. She may be a proper noble,
the daughter of a famous wizard, or the sister of a war hero. This minor association with
things greater can often be used to get away with things that more common people cannot.
On social rolls when dealing with people inclined to respect (or fear the consequences of 
crossing) her lineage, she gets +2.}

\subsection{Supernatural Traits}

\trait{Long-Lived}
{``I've been around the block a few times.''}
{All}
{This character's lifespan is substantially longer than those of most people. He may
have developed this trait through magical means or perhaps he is simply a member of
a species that is naturally longer lived. 

In most cases, this character should have an expected lifespan at least double that
of the most common intelligent species in a setting.
}

\trait{Touch of Ma\`{\j}\'{\i}\c{c}k}
{``Look, I agree that's amzaing, but I don't think that's how you spell `magic'.''}
{Low-Magical, Magical, Decayed Future}
{The character was born with or otherwise has gained access to the power to use
magic. She can cast spells, use magic circles, or perform whatever else is acceptable
in the setting for a magic user.

In low-magic settings, this trait is required to gain use of the magic skill trees. In
high-magic settings or settings in which all characters are assumed to be able to have
access to magic, this trait provides a +2 casting magic} 

\section{Negative Traits}

\subsection{Mental Traits}

\trait{Gaess}
{``Your life stops until you do my bidding.''}
{Low-Magical, Magical, Decayed Future}
{The character has been sujected to a curse which requires them to carry out a specific task. 
Though this usually doesn't get in the way of his life, he cannot simply let the task go nor 
can he take action in direct opposition to the completion of said task. The punishment for 
not carryout out a gaess could vary widely from mere unpleasantness--such as mild constant 
pain while not working to complete the goal--to the extreme--failure brings death or worse. 

GMs should make it clear what the Gaess is and how it affects them in case of failure. 
Regardless, he is at -2 on rolls to take any action in opposition to the goal of his gaess}

\trait{Illiterate}
{``X''}
{All}
{The character was never trained in the reading or writing of
her native language. Books and written instructions are all but worthless. This doesn't 
impact the character's ability to understand pictures or graphic representations of objects,
nor does it impact thier ability to speak. It is simply the written word which confounds them.

Most characters in medieval settings who are not of noble birth or members of the clergy should 
be illiterate. The GM may decide that the setting should have illiteracy as the default in which 
case, this trait would be unavailable.}


\subsection{Physical Traits}

\trait{Aged}
{``They say age brings wisdom, but it mostly just brings brittle bones...''}
{All}
{This character is out of his prime. Compared to others of his species his has begun to show
signs of frailty and infrimity. He is -2 on rolls that depend on endurance or being in
good health. Fine motor coordination is not effected.}

\subsection{Social Traits}

\trait{Banished}
{``From this day hence, you shall find no home here.''}
{All}
{The character has somehow managed to become forbidden from returning to her homeland. Whether 
this is due to the character's own crime, a corruption of the blood, or having the wrong beliefs 
about toast, people who are aware of her banishment may immediately assume that she committed
a great sin against her people. A banished character is -2 to social interactions with people
from her homeland who know of her status. Returning home may be impossible.

Characters who are banished from the land in which the story is taking place, but remain there
in spite of the ruling should probably use the Wanted trait from LORE CORE instead.}

\trait{Old World Leftover}
{``What do you mean, 'I've never heard of flush toilets'?''}
{Decayed Future}
{The character has an expectation of his world which is widely out of proportion to the
world he lives in. Likely, he was somehow a holdover from the previous incarnation of
human civilization--perhaps kept in a sleeper tube, transported forward in time, or even
a construct from that period. Unfortunately for him, he has trouble coping with the new 
environment. All social rolls involving characters who haven't gotten used to his strange
expectations, idioms and manarisms are made at -1.

It should be noted that this trait doesn't necessarily provide any particular capability
with the use or maintenance of pre-fall technology. Characters who are more than merely
able to use the old technology should take the appropriate Positive or Superlative trait.}


\trait{Questioned Profession}
{``The loaning of currency for interest is a sin against God Almighty!''}
{All}
{The character works in a profession which, though legal or at least tolerated, 
is in some degree of disdain. Legal authorities will harass her and bribes may be necessary to 
mainting a going business operation. Concerned friends and aquaintences may subtely suggest new
jobs. Characters are at -2 to rolls when dealing with people who
hold negative views on their line of work (but never against an actual customer).} 

\subsection{Origin Traits}

\trait{Ignoble Birth}
{``Danny's got no daddy! Danny's got no daddy!''}
{All}
{The character was born under circumstances which are generally frowned upon by society. She
may have been born out of wedlock or been the product of a rape, but either way some in society
ostracize her for reasons that are completely out of her control. She has a -2 when interacting
in social situations with people who both know of and disapprove of her situation}

\subsection{Supernatural Traits}

\trait{Unmagical}
{``I wave my hands and nothing.''}
{Low-Magical, Magical, Decayed Future}
{This character is somehow inherently opposed to magic in all of its forms. In settings where 
most character can use magic, he is a rare exception. In settings where magic is itself rare,
he instead acts as a spoiler, disrupting the magic of other characters as well as magical
devices and items.}

\section{Crippling Traits}

\subsection{Mental Traits}

\trait{Old World Reject}
{``Why don't any of these damn machines work\textinterrobang''}
{Decayed Future}
{For whatever reason, this character is incompatible with pre-fall technology and equipment. In
the face of his usage, equipment tends to fail in interesting and problematic ways. Although he
is sometimes successful with such equipment, every usage is an adventure.

When attempting to use, repair, or maintain pre-fall devices, the character is -4 on his rolls.
Additionally, the character experiences Interesting Failures on rolls of 3 (as well as 2) when
working with pre-fall technology.}

\subsection{Physical Traits}

\trait{Bane}
{``It burns!''}
{All}
{The character has some weakness--sunlight, cold iron, silver--that causes immediate and severe
pain or damage to them. This may be due to supernatural concerns or simply due to an allergy.
Either way, the character must avoid the bane at all costs or risk their continued existence.
Characters with a bane are -4 to perform actions which would put them at threat of their bane,
if they would even try to do them at all. If LORE COMBAT is being used in the campaign, a GM
should include appropriate damage when a character's bane is inflicted on them.}

\subsection{Social Traits}

\trait{Excommunicated}
{``Let all know that you are an outsider.''}
{All}
{This character has been officially and publically rejected by a major, multinational organization
such as a church or fraternal order. She may not face any direction punishment, but
members of the organization may be barred from associating with her for fear of drawing the ire
of the organization. Further, many people who belong to the organization will assume that the
excommunication was proper and may likewise shun her. Assuming she is able to actually able
to find organization members willing to interact with her, all social roles with them are
at a -4 pentalty.}

\subsection{Origin Traits}

\trait{Outcaste}
{``Go back to your kind.''}
{All}
{This character was born in circumstances which cause immediate prejudice from the general public.
Perhaps he was born during the wrong phase of the moon, to the wrong social class, or of the
wrong skin color or race. Regardless, most people will inherently distrust them and may go so
far as to attempt to carry out violence against them even without other provocation.

GMs are encourage to make the guage the level of resentment against the character by how easy the
character's status is to hide. Easily hidden traits (such as birthplace) should produce a more
vitriolic response from NPC whereas difficult to hide traits (such as skin color or race) should
provoke a more subdued, but still highly negative response. Social rolls involving
characters who are predisposed to disliking the outcaste are have a -4 pentalty.}

\trait{Owned}
{``I made you and I can unmake you!''}
{All}
{This character is completely under the authority of an outside source. This could be due to his
being a slave, a creature summoned and bound from another plane of existence, or by being magically 
controlled. Whatever the reason, there exists a person who can give unignorable orders to the him.

GMs should be wary of any situation in which a player character is the owner for either an NPC or a
PC. 
}

\subsection{Supernatural Traits}

\trait{Barrier Maiden}
{``We all have our responsibilities...''}
{Low-Magical, Magical, Decayed Future}
{This character is somehow of cosmological importance. She may be the only thing sealing away a
great evil or may be the physical manifestation of a barrier between worlds. Unfortunately, this
makes her a target of both people who would kill her to break the barrier and people who would
attempt to control her to further their own political ends. Furthermore, her critical role as a
balancing force likely removes much of her ability to act freely due to devotion to her role.

She will not willingly take action which would be in opposition to her duty, nor would she take
action which would put her in danger of being forced to take such action. For isntance, if 
her death means the release of the Great Demon King, she would refuse to put herself in situations 
in which she could easily come to harm such as open combat or undirected adventuring.
}

\trait{Leashed}
{``This is my home; why would I leave?''}
{Low-Magical, Magical, Decayed Future}
{This character is bound to a certain physical area either by magical or technological means. She
may or may not be aware of the restriction, but will either way make no attempt to leave her 
designated area of her own volition and will resist, strongly or even violently, any attempt to
remove her from it. If she is removed anyway, she is at -4 to \textit{all} rolls until she
is returned to her native area.

The leashed area should generally be large enough in size to provide for all of the character's
needs. A village, county, or farm could all be reasonable sizes. Alternatively, the character may
have a very small containment area--such as a single bedroom or a dungeon cell--but instead have 
a lower pentalty when removed from it such as -2.}

\trait{Mayfly}
{``Life is fleeting''}
{Low-Magical, Magical, Decayed Future}
{This character's total lifespan is far shorter than that of others. This may be due to a
curse, disease, or may simply be the natural lifespan of his species. Death will be visited
him in short order regardless of the external circumstances of the greater story.

In general, a character with this trait is expected to die before the end of the campaign. Alternatively,
the campaign may be centered around trying to cure or reverse whatever is causing the shortened
lifespan of the character. The GM should take care to make sure that this trait is actually
a disadvantage. }


