Examples of Character Trait Definition
A Long Example: LightDragon's Joam (Player Character)
LightDragon, a Player, describes his character, named Joam, as quite strong, a little clumsy, healthy, stupid, but with a deep sense of right and wrong.
So the Creator starts off with a Gestalt of 0. That means Body, Mind, and Psyche all start with a value of 0. So the Creator adds 1 to Body, subtracts 1 from Mind, and a leaves Psyche alone. This results in Body +1, Mind -1, Psyche 0. [The check: +1 -1 +0 = Gestalt 0 x3]
Then, based on Body +1, the Creator starts with Strength +1, Form +1, Agility +1. The Creator adds 2 to Strength, leaves Form alone, and subtracts 2 from Agility. Joam has Strength +3, Form +1, Agility -1. [The check: +3 +1 -1 = Body +1 x3]
At this point, the Creator could choose to stop. The Creator may decide that there is no need to detail the sub-traits of Strength, Form, and Agility. If a sub-trait is not specified, its value is the same as that of the trait above it. So if Strength +3 is not spelled out, the values for Might, Mass, and Force are all +3. [The check: +3 +3 +3 = Strength +3 x3]
But let's say that LightDragon also mentioned that Joam is huge in size, and average in looks; he also mentioned Health. So the Creator decides to detail Strength and Form.
From Strength (at +3) he derives Might +3, Mass +4, and Force +2. Form he uses to make Health +2, Endurance +1, and Beauty 0. Agility he leaves unspecified -- that means all three sub-traits (Manual Dexterity, Precision, Gracefulness) are valued at -1.
Now we go back up the tree to Mind, which the Creator valued at -1. The Creator then ads and subtracts, ending up with -2 in Reason, -1 in Memory, and 0 in Perception, based on his interpretation of the Player's character concept. The Creator deems no further division into sub-traits is needed.
Finally, the Creator turns to Psyche. This is more of a challenge, because the only guidance the Player has provided is to say that Joam has "a deep sense of right and wrong." But the Creator, being creative, takes a stab at it.
Psyche consists of Will, Intuition, Leadership, all starting at 0 (from 0 Psyche). Given Joam's lack of mental prowess, the Creator subtracts 1 from Leadership. The Player said nothing about Will, so the Creator leaves it 0. Finally, the Creator adds 1 to Intuition. Joam has Will 0, Intuition +1, Leadership -1. [The check: +1 +0 -1 = Psyche 0 x3]
Intuition leads to Empathy, Insight, and Common Sense. Joam is actually thickheaded rather than insightful, so subtract 2 from Insight. Leave Empathy at +1 and add 2 to Common Sense. Joam has Empathy +1, Insight -1, Common Sense +3. [The check: +1 -1 +3 = Psyche +1 x3], and the +3 in Common Sense provides Joam with his the moral compass.
Now the Creator gives Joam to his Player, and the Player says, "Golly, I really wanted Joam to be EXCEPTIONALLY large and strong and EXCEPTIONALLY stupid." The Creator emphasizes the difficulty role-playing a really stupid character, but LightDragon has a very strong vision -- think Lenny in Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men." The Player also suggests that Joam be even more thickheaded but have more Common Sense and Empathy. So the Creator goes back to the drawing board, this time starting with a Gestalt 0, Body 3, Mind -3, and Psyche 0. After Player and Creator are all done, Joam has a child's mind in a giant's body.
The Final Result for Joam:
A Short Example: The Lonely Judge and Pewter (Non-Player Characters)
The Creator wants to describe a heroic NPC vigilante, a human known as the Lonely Judge, and his mount, a horse named Pewter. The Creator gives the Judge a Gestalt +2. He adds and subtracts, coming up with Body +1, Mind +2, Psyche +3. From Psyche +3 the Creator details Will +6, Intuition +3, and Leadership 0. That's all the detail the Creator needs for now -- more can be added later if required.
Pewter is very intelligent and fast for a horse. The Creator assigns Gestalt +2, and then Body +3, Mind +3, and Psyche 0. Body divides into Strength +1, Form +4, and Agility +4. Mind divides into Reason +5, Memory +3, Perception +1. And Pewter's Reason divides into Communication +8, Logic +4, and Invention +3.
The Lonely Judge has Reason +2 and Communication +2 (because they equal his Mind +2). Pewter has Reason +5 and Communication +8, but that doesn't mean Pewter is smarter than the Lonely Judge, or a better speaker! It just means that Pewter is good at these things compared with other horses. For example, if the Lonely Judge, trapped in a pit, threw out a rope and shouted, while a normal horse would keep grazing or maybe wander off, Pewter has a good chance of figuring out that he should grab the rope and pull. And after he rescued his master, he would be able to let the Lonely Judge know (by whinnying and body language) that he thought he deserved a treat for being so clever.
The Final Result for The Lonely Judge:
The Final Result for Pewter: