Ayo portrait by Jessica Kuczynski
Download Character Sheet: Ayo Character Sheet
You can find the other premade characters here.
Who Ayo Is
Player:
Name Pronunciation: aayo CLAY-ton
Gender: Nonbinary.
Manner: Shy in everyday interactions. Charismatic on stage.
Goal: To go on an adventure.
Backstory: A shy kid from a prosperous and supportive merchant family, Ayo has always done well academically. They discovered their love of storytelling at a young age and are now the storytelling champion of their area. However, as much as they love telling stories, they have always secretly wanted to be part of their own adventure.
Arthritis: From a young age, Ayo has experienced painful swelling in their knees, especially their right knee. They treat this arthritis with a medication that reduces the swelling and they use knee braces and a cane for stability and support. Because Ayo walks slowly, most sports haven’t been a good option for them. However, with the aid of a specially designed saddle, Ayo has discovered their love of riding. Now Ayo gets around mostly on ponyback, using Force Magic to make ramps when needed.
Moonlight the Pony: Moonlight is Ayo’s pony. She is dappled gray, with a pale mane and tail. Moonlight is gentle, friendly, and even tempered, but she can be spirited at times. She is from a breed of pony known to be hardy, adaptable, and surprisingly strong.
Appearance: Ayo is a hob that is just over three feet tall with an oval body shape. Their skin is brown with cool, blue-red undertones. They have shoulder length dreadlocks with a chin strap beard and mustache. Ayo wears eyeglasses with small oval lenses in brass frames and they are dressed in a flowing blue tunic. Their black leather knee braces are strapped over their simple, dark blue pants. They hold a cane in their left hand.
Relationships:
What Ayo Can Do
Class: Bard.
Body #: 3
Mind #: 5
Species: Hob.
Species Trait—Magical Nature: You have an inherent magical quality that is expressed in two minor magical effects that you can do. These minor magical effects can be used without risk of failure, which means that no roll is needed to use them. However, if you incorporate one of them into a more complicated action, you will need to roll to accomplish that action.
- Minor Magical Effect: Telekinetically control a small object for one minute. This is done by touching the object and then focusing on it. For one minute you can levitate this object and move it around with your mind.
- Minor Magical Effect: Make food taste better.
Physical Defense—Armor: You are trained to use armor for physical defense and you can use this training any time that you are wearing it. However you cannot sleep in your armor and it takes a significant amount of time to put on. Ayo has armor for themselves and their pony that is made out of a special, light metal.
Mental Defense—Staff: You are trained to use a staff for mental defense. This means that you know how to use the magical properties of a staff to shield yourself from harmful mental effects and magic. You own this staff and you can use your training any time that you are holding it. However your staff requires one hand to use, so you cannot do any two-handed tasks while using it. In addition, your staff can be taken away by disarming attacks. Ayo’s cane has a protective spell inscribed into it. These tiny, almost imperceptible, words of magic spiral around the handle and down its entire length.
Body Skills:
Combat Skills
Unarmed Fighting (Unarmed actions like punching, kicking, tripping, and wrestling)
Melee Combat (Using melee weapons like swords, spears, and axes)
Ranged Combat (Using ranged weapons like bows and throwing daggers)
Strength Skills
Athletics (Strength and endurance activities like running, jumping, and throwing)
Climbing (Climbing up and down trees, rocks, and other steep surfaces)
Flying (Doing complex maneuvers and flying in difficult conditions)
✔ Riding (Caring for and riding mounts)
Swimming (Doing complex maneuvers and swimming in difficult conditions)
Dexterity Skills
Acrobatics (Feats of agility, balance, and flexibility)
Manual Dexterity (Picking locks, disabling traps, pick-pocketing, etc.)
Mobility (Using agility and flexibility to keep moving)
Stealth (Hiding, moving silently, and generally being sneaky)
Mind Skills:
Knowledge Skills
✔ Arcana (Magical knowledge)
✔ Culture (Religions, customs, languages, and history)
✔ Nature (Knowing about animals, plants, weather, geography, and physiology)
Technology (The basics of math, engineering, and crafting)
Social Skills
✔ Communicating with Animals (Communication and interaction with animals)
Deception (Misleading others)
Diplomacy (Honest communication)
Intimidation (Using fear and awe to get cooperation)
✔ Performance (Getting and holding people’s attention, disguises)
Awareness Skills
✔ Insight (Reading people and assessing social situations)
Perception (Noticing subtle things in your environment)
✔ Survival (Navigating and sustaining life in different environments, first aid)
Main Performance Styles: Storytelling and drawing.
Magical Performance: You use artistic performance to connect with magical energies. This means that when you want to cast magic, you can use either of your two main types of performance from the Performance skill to cast a spell. Only brief performances are needed to cast a single spell. If you wish, longer performances can be used to cast multiple spells.
One important aspect of magical performance is that your skill at casting magic is not a reflection of your artistic skill. Each type of magic is a separate ability that needs to be studied (Ayo knows Force Magic). This means that the dice rolls for casting magic are based on the text of each magic ability and not on the Performance skill. For this purpose, magic is any ability with the word “Magic” in its name.
Because magical performance is the act of using performance to channel magical energy, that magic infuses the performance in some obvious way. You get to decide what this is like. One important consequence of this is that, unlike other forms of magic, magical performance can’t be used subtly or hidden with a skill.
Magic cast using a magical performance can affect anyone, regardless of whether or not they can perceive the performance. In addition, like other forms of magic, most ongoing spells last for one scene. Partial successes may shorten this duration and outstanding successes may increase it.
Ability #1—Force Magic: You can create magical effects by molding and manipulating raw magical force. There are two main ways to use Force Magic. The first is to mold the raw magical force into crude shapes such as clubs, rams, blades, shields, walls, ramps, domes, and spheres. Each time you do this, select a location, person, or object that the force shape is anchored to. If the anchor is unmoving, then the force shape stays in place with it. If the anchor is mobile, then the force shape moves with it. These force shapes can act as weapons or as barriers to both physical and magical harm. They may also be used creatively to do things like bridge a gap, catch a wild animal, and stabilize an unstable surface. This magic can also be used to alter or disrupt the force shapes of others.
The second way to use Force Magic is to manipulate objects at a distance by wrapping magical force around them. This produces telekinesis-like effects where objects can be levitated, twisted, pushed, and pulled. Flexible objects like ropes may be animated in a more dynamic fashion.
Raw magical force is a semi-transparent substance that is solid to the touch. It gives off a soft glow and a gentle hum. A tingly sensation can be felt when you get close to it. It is possible to prevent magical force from being seen, heard, or felt when nearby, but doing so is more difficult. This means that the consequences of failed rolls will be larger than they would otherwise be. Force Magic can also be used to disrupt others’ Force Magic. It is used by rolling mind and you are trained in it.
Note that Ayo’s access to Force Magic comes from the Arcane Performance ability which allows them to use one type of arcane magic.
Ability #2—Lore Master: You have a deep knowledge of many subjects. Any time you get a full success (two successes) on an Arcana, Culture, Nature, or Technology roll, the information you gain is more detailed than it would otherwise be. This information is helpful enough to grant you an additional benefit. In essence, this ability turns a full success into an outstanding success.
Ability #3—Knowledgeable: You are extremely knowledgeable. Three times a day, you are considered prepared when you use the Arcana, Culture, Nature, or Technology skills. You may take this ability twice if you desire.
Ability #4—Inspired Artistry: You are an exceptionally skilled and expressive artist. This means that you can use your art to connect with people in a deep way. You are considered prepared whenever you use the Performance skill to entertain, express emotion, or communicate an experience. Please keep in mind that, while the results of a success will generally be favorable, art is open to interpretation and each person will have a unique reaction to your art.
Equipment Ayo Has
Special Item—Enchanted bag: This magic bag is considerably larger on the inside than it is on the outside. It is light and its weight is always the same, regardless of how much it is holding. In addition, the mouth of this bag can stretch wide enough to allow one medium-sized piece of furniture to be placed within the bag.
Tools for Skills: Tack and a specially designed saddle that has a supportive structure which reduces the strain on Ayo’s knees. Gear to care for their pony which is used for the Riding skill. Drawing tools that are used for the Performance skill. First aid kit that is used for the Survival skill.
Defensive Equipment: Both Ayo and their pony have sets of armor made out of a special, light metal. Ayo’s cane has a protective spell inscribed into it that makes it a staff that can be used for mental defense.
Assistive Devices: Ayo has a cane and knee braces.
Standard Supplies:
- Everyday outfit
- Sturdy backpack
- Waterproof tarp
- Towel
- Bedroll
- Fire-starting kit
- Lantern with oil
- Portable cooking pot
- Wooden dishes and utensils
- Utility knife
- Waterskin
- Travel rations
- Rope
- Twine
- Chalk
- Soap
- One handful of coins
