Origin Story is a game focusing on the lives of Sparked children, muddling through a world that isn't accepting of them. While all characters will have this collective experience, there is a wide variety of ways this can play out. As such, the approach to character creation will focus on some of these commonalities, and how your particular character experiences this.
To submit a character, please read through the System section of the Wiki, and send us a character through this google form.
You can also check out our Sample Characters to see examples of things you might want to include in each section.
If you have any questions, you can email the GM team at: gm@originstory.oxfordrpg.com, or come along to the character creation session.
These are some simple facts about your character:
One thing that all player characters in Origin Story have is a spark.
You can find out more information on The Spark here, but there are some specific details about it we'll need to know. Some elements of your spark can also be modified by Quirks.
What is the nature of your spark, and how does it manifest? Sparks come in the form of a broad range of powers, so feel free to be creative (though for more out-there ideas, and things that are related to anything on the Conduct and Themes list, we strongly recommend checking in with the GM team first, either by email or at the character creation session).
While most sparks tend to manifest around the age of 12-14, they have been known to appear quite a while before and after this window. Tell us how long you've had it, and how your character has dealt with this change since the discovery.
One of the big things that will impact how the world sees you is how visible your spark is. A standard spark won't be visible normally, but will become obvious when it is used. Some will be obvious all the time, even when not being used, and others might never be obvious at any point.
E.g. Jen Bryum at The Alan Hoyne Institute was born with scales and has never been able to hide her spark. Her fellow Institute student Ellen Palmer's ability to turn her skin to stone is more usual, in becoming visible on use. And the Sample Character Amanda's ability to trade parts of her life in the present to visit the past is not visible to anyone in the present.
What goes on in your character's personal life? In particular, this should include information on what life is like “at home” – wherever that might be for you. There is no concept of a world outside of Citropolis in Origin Story (see Style and Tone) so references to such things don't make sense in setting.
Who are your family? Make sure to list all important family members, such as siblings and parents/carers.
If you aren’t living with family, make sure to list any NPCs that share your living space.
Which District do you live in? This can just be a one-word answer, but feel free to give us more detail in your private bio.
Most characters in Origin Story will be in some form of education. You'll need to choose which school your character attends (or, whether they’re out of education). You should also provide a short “school bio”, consisting of anything that people who attend the same school as you would know about you.
Life isn't easy, particularly for a kid discovering they're a Spark. All characters in Origin Story have some kind of Struggle that they're dealing with. Let us know what it is, and how it's impacting your character.
Quirks are those little extra things that are unique about your character. Choose 0-3 Quirks from the available options (along with whichever Playstyle Quirks you like), and give us a little bit of detail about each one.