Tavern Interior

Character Creation

by Finley Vorden

Ilhdeinia brings its own unique flavors to MUSE’s character creation system. When creating a character for adventures in this world, you'll follow the standard MUSE character creation process with several important additions:

  • First, complete the steps exactly as outlined in MUSE, using a MUSE Character Sheet or the MUSE Character Sheet App
  • When slecting Common Items, you may draw those items from the tool and gear lists in Bartering, Trade Goods, & Gear at no cost, so long as your character would reasonably own them (GM approval).
  • Every character in Ilhdeinia belongs to one of the realm’s distinct Folk. Each provides a cultural background for reference, and unique Folk Talents.
  • Navigate to Currency & Wealth and determine your Starting Wealth.
  • Prepare for battle by creating weapons, selecting armor, and adding any final items to your inventory, such as those found in Currency & Character Wealth.

Acquiring Talents

Ilhdeinians gain access to unique Talents through their Path, their Folk, and their Faction. When acquiring these Talents:

  • Take both your Path's Starter Talent and your first Folk Talent at Level 1.
  • Characters who pledge loyalty to a specific faction (whether a guild, military order, secret society, or political alliance) may gain access to Faction Talents. Like Folk Talents, Faction Talents can be selected at Level 3 (or Level 1 at GM discretion). If your character shifts loyalties or leaves their faction, you may lose access to that Faction Talent and gain a new one with GM approval. Faction Talents are detailed in their respective faction entries throughout the campaign setting.
  • From Level 3/5 onward, you may create custom Talents with your GM or select from other available Folk/ Faction Talents as your character continues to grow and develop.

Discipline Talents

Discipline Talents represent specialized training in specific combat styles, scholarly pursuits, crafting traditions, etc. These Talents are currently a work in progress and will be detailed in future updates to this site.

Powers

When creating Powers in Ilhdeinia, treat the MUSE Powers section as your baseline reference for mechanics, range, and general function. For the specific flavor, cultural context, and more, please consult the Sjōvneva section and its subsections.

Divine Patronage

Every character in Ilhdeinia with the expectation to wield magick should find at least one deity to pledge themselves to and read up on their teachings, domains, and expectations. This spiritual connection shapes not just the dynamics of your magick, but significantly impacts roleplay. See About Religion for more.

Even characters who don't plan to use Sjōvneva benefit from divine patronage, as the gods of Ilhdeinia actively influence mortal affairs and offer guidance, protection, and purpose to their faithful followers.

At your GM’s discretion, a character who practices Hemoturgey (blood magick, described in Forbidden Magick) may treat that discipline as satisfying one specific devotional obligation they would otherwise owe a patron, or as replacing a single devotion slot, without abandoning the social danger, stigma, and narrative weight of the practice.

Linguistics

Before finalizing your character sheet, check the Languages section to determine how many languages your character knows.

Afflictions (Optional)

Players should consider whether their character begins the game already suffering from a supernatural Affliction, such as Vampirisim or Lycanthropy. While most players will likely avoid starting with these conditions due to their complex nature and potential drawbacks, some may wish to explore the unique roleplay opportunities they provide.

If you choose to start your character as Afflicted:

  • Consult the relevant Affliction section to understand all benefits, drawbacks, and requirements.
  • Discuss your choice with your GM to ensure it fits the campaign’s tone and story.
  • Be prepared for the additional complexity these conditions bring to roleplay.
  • If your desired affliction is not present, please talk to your GM.

Artwork by Dean Spencer