Quirks

Character Quirks are unusual aspects of your character not entirely encompassed by their backstory, relationships, or skills and magic.

Playstyle Quirks are a helpful aid for you and the GMs to calibrate to your playstyle and deliver a suitably enjoyable game experience. We will take these into account when writing your turnsheets.

The character Quirks in Labyrinth are not specifically negative or positive and will typically represent something neutral or with a variety of benefits and challenges, some of which may not be entirely apparent to your character. These are intended to provide colour and roleplaying opportunities to your character and should be in some way important to them. A relic is not just a benefit of your family but means something to your character – it is something they have aspired all their life to wield, or something coveted that has always been just out of grasp. Consider how and why the Quirks you take are important to your character.

You may take up to 2 character Quirks (0 or 1 are valid choices!)

Note: Connections to NPCs, whether they are an annoying Aunt with a desire to see you married off, or your long-lost twin brother you don't know exists but is plotting your downfall, should be detailed as part of your backstory. You are welcome to make connections to existing NPCs or create your own. The GMs will be happy to work with you to have them be useful, threatening or surprising as appropriate, but the GMs cannot guarantee any or all of your NPCs will turn up.

An ancient relic, held by your family for generations. This is a powerful, rare item, and one of the few relics across the world. The majority of these were found in the Labyrinth before it was closed, either by the first Empress of Tharena and her companions, or other adventurers before and after. Although a lot of them are weapons of some kind, there are many that are objects of learning, protection, and more. That relics have power is obvious to people, though without study or experimentation it is not always apparent what that power is.

These are prized possessions of the noble Dragonblooded families of the Southern Empire, though some will have ended up elsewhere, and a few are said to be of very dubious provenance.

While your family, organisation, or other wider group has possession of this relic, you are able to use it in carrying out your duties to said group, though it is a privilege, not a right (though how you use or abuse that is down to you).

Describe what the item is and what your character understands the magical effects of it to be
OR
Let the GMs surprise you

Note: These are typically appropriate for characters with a high rank in either the Northern or Southern Empires. If you are a lower rank or from a different state, consider why your character has access to this relic.

• A sword, exceptionally flat, that cuts through practically anything with minimal resistance.
• A small bell which, when rung, causes wounds to heal rapidly.
• A hollow crystal orb that opens with unseen hinges. Anything placed inside is renewed – blunt razors sharpen, rotten fruit becomes fresh.

You are indebted to someone or some group. The debts are significant, and the debtors will come calling. Of course, debt is a two-way avenue – you cannot pay off your debts if you are dead or completely destitute, so the debtors have an incentive to keep you alive, keep you in a strong position, and of course make use of you. Whatever your original payment was, it is likely you will be repaying interest in all manner of interesting ways.

Provide some details of your debt – who you owe, why, etc.

You are in possession of a powerful or valuable asset of some kind. Perhaps you have a trading venture, a sailing vessel, a castle, a private library, or a small group of trained mercenaries. They may be very useful in whatever it is you do, but are likely to be coveted by others, or represent a vulnerability for your enemies to exploit. These are not tied to your Social Status and are more easily mobilised and used than things you might have control or influence over with a higher Rank.

Explain what your asset is and how it is useful to your character. We will come up with the vulnerabilities, but you are welcome to supply your own ideas!

Note: Things like actual Armies, Fleets, and whole Towns are outside the scope of this Quirk. Assets on that scale have to be acquired in play.

You've been away from home for a long time. Perhaps on military deployment, perhaps moving around for business, and now journeying to the Labyrinth is taking you further away from that. But in your absence times may have changed, and the world that you once knew may not exist any more.

Explain your own recollection of your home: your family, friends, homestead, etc. News of your history, or perhaps figures from your history itself may find you throughout the course of the game.

You have sworn an oath, on whatever is meaningful to your character, to do something or to behave a certain way. This garners a lot of respect in many ways, and distinguishes you to others as a serious and determined individual. Of course, you are also bound to the oath, and breaking it or failing to keep it may have social consequences, even if it is only sworn to yourself.

For example, you may have taken a vow of abstinence (from speech, or violence) or sworn to take vengeance on the Duchess who ordered your father's death.

Detail your oath and its implicit or explicit limitations.

Note: The oath should be for something grandiose, significant or important. It should not be a simple inconvenience, but something that drives or defines your character.

You have a vulnerability of some kind, either physical or mental – perhaps a very weak heel or a debilitating phobia of something. If anyone was to find out or use your weakness however, you would be extremely vulnerable. Of course, it could also happen quite by chance.

Explain what your weakness is.

Note: This should not be something too trivial, although the GMs will of course try and make sure it comes into play unless you are exceptionally diligent in protecting the secret.

Note 2: Please do not use your OC phobia for this Quirk as we will deploy it during the game.

You sometimes have less control over your skill and ability than you would like, and wind up with unintended and dramatic consequences. Sometimes you will luck out on a diplomatic deal, convincing multiple parties to sign a treaty you had not quite planned out. Maybe you worked too hard at creating a new masterpiece of timekeeping after you had set out to make a nice bracelet. A fight gets out of hand leading to the destruction of a small hamlet, as well as three nearby ones – you'd only started a tavern brawl! The plan you began to lay out to provision the legion to sail across the Inner Sea has somehow included the transportation of additional siege engines and a whole cadre of mages.

During your turnsheet resolution, on some occasions, you will end up with unintended consequences – both beneficial and problematic.

You have started hearing a voice speaking to you in your dreams. Someone or something yearns to be heard, to communicate with you. You do not understand this phenomenon, but it persists.

You do not need to provide details, the GMs will determine what happens.

These options help customise your experience and give the GMs an idea of what sort of gameplay and style you enjoy – they all come with at least two levels, but if you are unsure or want to specify more details, please get in touch with the GMs. You may also change these at any time during the game – just let the GMs know.

The character submission form will ask you to pick one in the following categories:

Ballgowning involves roleplaying romances between characters. This is here to tell us how you want to approach/avoid ballgowning with NPCs. If you want to engage in ballgowning with other PCs, please discuss this OC with their player and remember to check in when appropriate.

No Romance – You do not want to engage in any in-game romances.

Open to Romance – You are open to in-game romances with NPCs but do not want the GMs to specifically push such plot for your character.

Romance Me, Please – You want to engage in in-game romances. While this does not guarantee a romance plot, the GMs will help facilitate ballgowning where appropriate with NPCs.

Although Labyrinth is expected to throw up challenges to your PCs, and one of the main focuses is exploring the dangerous Labyrinth itself, the level of hurt your character experiences can vary. We will always check in with you in any situation where your PC might be at risk of death, and give you an explicit chance OC to avoid it. If your character does die, we will discuss a replacement character with you.

These do not increase your chances of success or failure in any action.

By the Goddess, Mercy! – You do not wish you character to come to irreparable harm or die. They can be hurt and wounded, but these will heal and leave no lasting damage, and there may be other consequences in line for them. We do expect that in turn you will not intentionally put your character into extreme danger.

Lay it on, Labyrinth! – You would like your character to be hurt, punished and otherwise suffer. Things can go badly, consequences will be serious, and you will have to fight to survive if you head into danger. This by no means guarantees a hard time for your character, but the GMs will be realistic about how bad things get when and where appropriate. We will always check in with you OC if your character might die.

As outlined in the Conduct and Themes, there is the possibility of loss of agency (though not 'mind control') during the course of the game.

No Loss – your character will not lose agency during the course of the game.

Affected Mind – it is possible for your character to lose the ability to act in certain ways and be given the opportunity to roleplay appropriately. We will always check in with you if this comes up and explicitly ask if you wish to go through with it, providing explicit details of what this loss of agency will involve.

Labyrinth is set in a medieval-like fantasy world, with physical and magical conflict expected as a large part of the game. All sorts of gory details may be expected to come up in the course of your character's adventures but can be avoided if you wish.

No Blood and Gore – you do not wish for any descriptions of gore. Combat will be described cleanly and without any gory details at all.

Just A Fleshwound – you are happy with a basic level of gore, with blood spilled and description of physical hurt in combat and other appropriate situations.

Gibbed – You want additional gore, with more involved descriptions of body parts and anatomy featuring in your turnsheets. The GMs will portray an appropriately grisly level of gore for whatever situation you find yourself in.

There is significant potential for tragic and highly-emotional situations to develop as part of the game. Heavy themes will be explored and drama is likely to happen.

No Tears – the GMs will not attempt to pull unduly at the heartstrings of your character or intentionally push grief, sadness, and trauma for them.

Make Me Cry – you wish to experience the heavy emotions and tragedy at the heart of Labyrinth keenly and the GMs will try very hard to make you cry. Things won't necessarily go worse for your character as a consequence, and this does not preclude any kind of happy ending for your character – we just all want a lot of tears along the way.