Guide

◆Building Your Character: The Rite of Becoming

When you first enter Play Mode, the narrator runs a character interview to create your protagonist. This is not a stat-point allocation screen. It is a conversation. Here is how to get the most out of it.

›The Interview

The narrator asks you questions about who you are in this world. There are no wrong answers. Describe your character naturally:

  • Who are you? A disgraced knight, a smuggler, a scientist, a street kid, a retired general - anything.
  • What do you look like? This is used for Art Forge portraits and narrative descriptions.
  • What drives you? Your motivation shapes what quests and opportunities are offered to you.
  • What are you good at? This informs your starting abilities and how skill checks are handled.

Tip: Be specific. "A former boxer who now runs a bar" gives the narrator much more to work with than "a strong fighter."

›Starting Equipment

After the interview, you are equipped with gear that fits your character and world. A medieval knight gets armor and a sword. A cyberpunk hacker gets a deck and a sidearm. A frontier settler gets tools and supplies.

You do not need to request specific items - the engine reads your character concept and the world genre to choose appropriate starting gear.

›Equipment and Loadout

Your character has 9 equipment slots. Items are equipped automatically when you pick them up, or you can manage your loadout in the OmniCodex under Identity > Loadout.

To equip something: Tell the narrator, or click in the OmniCodex.

  • "I equip the shotgun"
  • "I put on the leather armor"
  • "I swap my dagger for the longsword"

To unequip: Same approach.

  • "I take off the helmet"
  • "I stow the rifle"

Equipment affects your stats. Your gear is factored into every roll - better armor means higher defense, a sharper weapon means more damage.

›Abilities and Spells

Abilities are learned through gameplay, not menus. New abilities are granted based on your actions, training, and progression.

  • Complete a stealth mission? You might learn a shadow-step ability.
  • Study with a mage? You might learn a spell.
  • Survive a near-death experience? You might unlock a rage ability.

Your abilities appear in the Ability Tray below the chat input. Click one to use it - the narrator describes the activation and handles the mechanics.

›Levelling Up

When you hit significant milestones, a level-up is triggered. You will see a celebration effect and your stats improve. Levelling happens naturally through the story. There is no XP grind.

›Editing Your Character

After the Rite of Becoming, you can edit your character from the Identity pillar in the OmniCodex. Click the pencil icon next to your character name.

Free changes: Name, race, class, backstory, and proficiencies can be edited at any time for free.

Stat Reforge: Changes to ability scores (STR, DEX, CON, INT, WIS, CHA), HP, AC, or level cost 8 Spark per save and are limited to 3 reforges per character. This exists to correct mistakes from the initial interview, not to overhaul your build on the fly. Choose carefully.

Once all 3 reforges are used, your mechanical stats are locked permanently. Your character's growth from that point forward happens through gameplay - levelling up, finding better gear, and training new abilities.

›Tips for a Memorable Character

  • Give your character a flaw. Perfect heroes are boring. A gambling addiction, a short temper, a phobia - these create interesting story moments.
  • Reference the world. "I grew up in the mines" ties your character to a location the engine already knows about.
  • You can change direction. Characters evolve. If you started as a merchant but want to become a warlord, just start making those choices. The narrator adapts.