Creating your character and items

Introduction

While Dark Days offers unique classes, the core theme I want to emphasize is ‘freedom of choice.’ Players should have the flexibility to deviate from established classes and shape their characters however they wish. As a Narrator, it’s your role to ensure that these character choices fit seamlessly into the world without breaking immersion or disrupting the game mechanics.

To the right, you'll see the character card for Ithren Verde—a character I created for my housemate, who will be playtesting this game, whilst I act as the Narrator.

In this section, I'll walk you through the steps I took to help the player create Ithren and provide several templates to assist you in creating your own character and item cards.

Keep in mind that the cards you create, along with their flavor text, should remain open-ended. This allows for stories to evolve or be expanded upon as you, the Narrator, see fit. While there is an overarching campaign, your players might choose to pursue their own paths, giving you the chance to craft wonderfully creative narratives of your own.

Step 1: Set the scene

I began by providing the player with a broad overview of the world and its different regions—just enough to give them a sense of place without overwhelming them. I divided Lathen into five distinct areas, using the map on the right to help the player visualize where each region is located. They can click on the map to download it for reference.

Meleth

  • Governance: This region is ruled by a monarchy.

  • Social Structure: Meleth maintains a strict class system that favors nobility and ancestral ties, leading to widespread poverty among the lower classes.

  • Magic and Innovation: It’s the only region that still practices all forms of magic. While other regions view this as reckless, Meleth believes it fuels their relentless pursuit of knowledge and innovation.

  • Historical Background: About 240 years ago, Meleth controlled the entire continent. However, their use of magic eventually sparked the War of Western Independence, leading to significant changes in the region's influence and control.

  • Influences: The cities of Meleth are visually inspired by Gothic-era European architecture, reminiscent of places like Vienna or Prague. Culturally, Meleth mirrors Central-Medieval Era Britannia, with a society built on peasant labor and lands owned by the nobility.

  • Name Examples: Characters from this region include Arkham Drocdorian, Shaltannon of Highrise, Trube and Rae Felix, Vestis Forne, and King Murdoc IV.

  • Common Class: Mage - Scholars trained in ancient languages, Mages have low health but can deliver devastating damage through their mastery of magic.

  • Unique Class: Vvitch - A unique class limited to female characters born during the early frosts or winter. Vvitches are powerful magic users known for their unpredictable and dangerous nature, often experiencing bouts of mania. The title "Vvitch" is reserved for women born in these unusual seasons, setting them apart as both feared and revered within Meleth.

Viet

  • Governance: Each city in Viet is governed through a family-based election system, where an entire family is assigned to political posts. This system emphasizes the importance of family reputation and mercantile wealth in the region.

  • Social Structure: Viet’s society revolves around the standing and reputation of families, with wealth often tied to mercantile success. Because of the election process, it’s uncommon for families to stay within a single class tier for long, allowing for social mobility. However, the rapid expansion of cities and the mercantile boom have also given rise to criminality, particularly in the Dire Alleys—narrow, maze-like passages within the cramped districts of the cities.

  • Enchantment: After the War of Western Independence, enchantment became the only commonly practiced form of magic in Viet. It is primarily used to enhance weaponry, tools, and musical instruments.

  • Historical Background: Viet was one of the regions that claimed independence from Meleth about 240 years ago, marking a significant shift in its history and governance.

  • Influences: The cities of Viet are visually inspired by Renaissance-era Italian architecture, reminiscent of places like Rome or Florence. Culturally, Viet mirrors the Spanish Renaissance, with a society rich in wealth, art, and creativity.

  • Name Examples: Notable characters from this region include Theniel and Keller Tiet, Violette Diassi, Durial Phent, and Veeno Verde.

  • Common Class: Fencer - Agile and honorable, the Veletian Fencers serve as guards, patrolmen, and agents within the region. They wield unique fencing swords known as Foil-Whips, which feature an unusually long Debole. These swords are enchanted to respond to the wielder’s grip, allowing them to alternate between piercing and whipping strikes as needed.

Western Shore

  • Governance: The city of Fawks, the heart of the Western Shore, holds an annual election to choose a Head Foreman who oversees trade standards and mining operations.

  • Social Structure: The Western Shore is deeply community-oriented, built on an “equal for all” philosophy. Wealth is shared communally, but this often leads to poor management of resources, resulting in inadequate utilities and infrastructure. The society is unique in that there are no nobles or peasants—everyone stands on equal footing.

  • Historical Background: The Western Shore has long been a major mining colony. However, after the War of Western Independence, the region began to reap more of the benefits from its resources, leading to steady growth through independent trade with Viet.

  • Influences: Visually, the city of Fawks is simple and utilitarian, reminiscent of Banská Štiavnica (Slovakia) or other mining colonies in the 1700s. Culturally, the Western Shore echoes the mining towns of north-east England, even as recently as the early 1900s—characterized by low income, hard labor, and strong family ties. A recent gold shortage has pushed the community to open new mines in hazardous areas, increasing mortality rates among miners. Society revolves around a growing drinking culture, which has given birth to many established bards and minstrels.

  • Name Examples: Notable characters from this region include Crucible, Megrit, Bransish, Bellon Drouse, and Samsol Shaeg.

  • Common Class: Bare-knuckle brawlers - The people of the Western Shore are typically tall and muscular, often favoring heavy weaponry like battle axes or claymores. However, a rare few have eschewed armor and weapons, choosing instead to fight with their bare fists. This brutal form of combat has evolved into a popular sport across the continent, but in battle, these brawlers are incredibly effective, using sheer strength to pummel their opponents into submission.

Although there are also the Doks (Dok Morren and Dok Syne) and Copulous, I won’t go into these currently, as I am yet to create cards for these areas. These will be introduced along side Chapter 1 of the over-arching campaign.

Step 2: Confirm the player’s base health

Once you've given the player an overview of the regions, it's time to dive into how they want their character to fight and interact with the world around them. A lot of this comes down to their character's morality and personal values. For example, my housemate wanted to play a naturally moral and virtuous character. After some consideration, she decided that a Veletian Fencer would be the best fit, at least for the play test. She also had the idea that her character would have ties to Meleth, which led to the interesting backstory of her mother being a Meletian Mage. This kind of detail is a goldmine for building a richer narrative from the Narrator’s perspective.

Once I confirmed that she wanted her character to be a Veletian Fencer, I could start creating the base information on the character card. This process helped solidify the character's role in the game and opened up opportunities to weave her backstory into the overarching plot, adding depth to both the character and the world of Dark Days.

The Health value for a character in Dark Days is typically determined by their class or fighting style. Here’s a general guideline:

  • Fencers: Usually start with 10 health.

  • Mages: Typically begin with 8 health.

  • Brawlers: Have a higher starting health of 15.

  • General Melee Characters (e.g., soldiers or bandits): Should have health ranging from 9 to 12.

  • General Ranged Characters (e.g., hunters or archers): Should have health ranging from 8 to 10.

  • Non-Combat Characters (e.g., typical citizens who can't fight): These characters should have a health value of 6.

Keep in mind that health values increase as characters level up. The base health value is multiplied by the character's level. For instance, a character starting with 8 health will have 16 health at level 2 and 24 health at level 3. This system ensures that characters become more resilient as they progress, making their journey through Dark Days even more dynamic.

When considering the "freedom of choice" philosophy in Dark Days, these baseline health figures should be treated as flexible guidelines rather than strict rules. As a Narrator, you have the freedom to adjust and experiment with these values to better fit the story or the unique nature of the characters your players create.

For instance, if a player’s character concept doesn’t neatly fit into the established classes, or if the narrative calls for something a bit different, you can modify the health values accordingly. To illustrate how these figures can be adapted, take a look at the Mercenary card example for Trube & Rae below.

Trube and Rae are unique in that they are two separate characters who function as a single unit on one card. Because of this, their health calculation differs from the norm. Instead of the typical 9 health per level, their health is calculated as 9 health per level multiplied by 2. This means that instead of progressing through levels with health values of 9, 18, 27, and so on, they level up with health values of 18, 36, 54, and so on.

While this might seem overpowered at first glance, their increased health is balanced by a Passive Ability called Fierce Felix. This ability, while offering some positive enhancements, also introduces significant drawbacks. Specifically, any negative effects they suffer are doubled in intensity. For example:

  • If they gain a Bleed or Burn status, they take double the damage.

  • If they are Floored, they miss twice as many turns.

  • If they are Blinded, they suffer hit penalties for twice as many turns.

This balancing act between their powerful health scaling and the heightened risks they face from negative effects adds a layer of strategy when playing as or against Trube and Rae, ensuring that their unique nature doesn’t disrupt the overall game balance.

Step 3: Flavor text

Before diving deeper into the card details, it’s a great idea to flesh out the character's origins and backstory. This step is crucial because the character’s background can significantly influence various aspects of the card, such as Usable Cards keywords, Age, and Passive Abilities. While this process is mostly driven by the player’s imagination, the Narrator may need to moderate to keep the story balanced within the game world. For instance, a character who claims to be an immortal god might create some issues with game balance!

The character’s story should be rooted in the world of Dark Days, but there’s plenty of room for creativity. A well-developed backstory can lead to unique gameplay experiences and open up interesting narrative possibilities.

For example, my player suggested a compelling backstory for their character: She has a Meletian mother, who was a mage, but her parents separated when she was young. Raised by her father in Al’Vie Cel’Deni (south of Al’Vie Al’Viet), she grew up under his guidance. Her father, a renowned fencer, served as Captain of the Veletian Fencers in the capital for many years. The character knows little about her mother, only that she supposedly died—at least according to her father. Motivated by a desire to follow in her father’s footsteps, she aims to become a legendary fencer herself, carving out her own legacy in the capital of Al’Vie Al’Viet.

This backstory not only gives the character depth but also provides a foundation for key elements on the character card. For instance, the mixed heritage might influence the Usable Cards, giving her access to both Meletian magic-related cards and Veletian combat skills. Additionally, her upbringing and ambitions could inform her Passive Abilities, reflecting her dual influences and the unique challenges she faces on her path to greatness.

This backstory opened up a lot of creative possibilities for the character. Initially, I considered questions like:

  • Can this character use magic?

  • Does she have any items to remember her mother by?

  • Did her mother really die?

  • Where is her father now?

However, when it came to creating the character card, I decided to keep it straightforward and focused. The card itself doesn’t mention the mother at all and stays true to the core concept of a Veletian Fencer. The flavor text simply highlights her desire to follow in her father’s footsteps—nothing more.

But I didn’t let that rich backstory go to waste. Instead, I used it to develop two additional cards that tie into her narrative. First, I created a character card for her father, who will accompany her during the tutorial phase of the campaign. This allows the player to experience her father's influence directly in the game. Second, I designed an item card connected to her mother’s past as a mage. This item is a ring that she wears as a keepsake, with it’s own magical properties that seem detrimental for now, gradually unraveling the mysteries of her mother's life and fate as the story progresses.

By doing this, I kept the character’s card simple and focused, while still embedding hooks in the story that can be explored later. It keeps the narrative open-ended and allows for deeper character development as the game unfolds.

The development of her father, Veeno, naturally led to the idea that a renowned fencer like him would likely wield a unique, tailor-made weapon. This inspired the creation of The Captain’s Coils—a distinctive weapon that not only reflects his status and skill but also adds depth to the game’s lore.

The Captain’s Coils could be a weapon with special properties or enchantments, making it more than just a standard piece of equipment. Its design might incorporate elements that signify Veeno’s legacy as Captain of the Veletian Fencers, perhaps with a unique ability or feature that sets it apart from other weapons in the game. This weapon could also play a significant role in the narrative, either as an heirloom passed down to his daughter or as a legendary item that players might seek out during their adventures.

Creating items like the Captain’s Coils not only enriches the character’s backstory but also enhances the overall world-building, offering players tangible connections to the history and figures of Dark Days. It opens up new possibilities for storytelling, character development, and gameplay, making the world feel more alive and interconnected.

Step 4: Creating the card!

Now that we have everything we need to create the card, I’ll walk you through each section, explaining what to include and how to structure it. Additionally, I’ve provided templates in PNG format for your use. While I initially intended to upload a central Photoshop template, I encountered some limitations, so instead, I’ve broken the template down based on factions, common or heroic types (which I’ll explain below), and item types.

  • Character Name: High Tower Text - 24pt size

    • The character’s name should be clear and prominently displayed. This is the easiest part, but it’s crucial for identifying the character quickly during gameplay.

  • Nationality and Class: High Tower Text - 12pt size

    • This section identifies the character’s background and role in the game. For example, this could be "Meletian Mage," "Veletian Fencer," "Western Shore Brawler," "Veletian Merchant," or "Meletian Gambler." The player decides this based on the character’s backstory and gameplay style.

  • Flavor Text: High Tower Text - 12pt size (Italics)

    • This narrative section provides context for the character’s origin, personality, and motivations. It should be concise yet rich enough to add depth to the character and assist in building the ongoing story. This text helps other players and the Narrator understand the character’s place in the world.

  • Age: High Tower Text - 12pt size

    • Include the character’s age, which should be appropriate for their backstory and the role they play. Age can influence how the character interacts with the world and may affect certain gameplay aspects or narrative decisions.

  • Health: High Tower Text - 12pt size

    • As mentioned earlier, use the baseline health suggestions as a guide. Adjust the health value based on the character's class or any unique traits they may possess. This value scales with the character’s level, providing a foundation for their durability in combat.

  • Usable Cards: High Tower Text - 12pt size

    • This section is crucial for determining what skills, spells, and equipment the character can use. It’s important to structure these keywords in the following order:

      • Nationality, Class, Gender, Species: These are based on the character’s background and identity. For example, "Veletian, Fencer, Female, Human" or "Meletian, Mage, Male, Human."

      • Equipment and Skills: Most characters can use basic Equipment and Skills by default, so these keywords should generally be included. For characters with special restrictions or abilities, you may modify these as needed.

      • Heroic Cards: If the character can use Heroic cards (such as Heroic Skills, Heroic Equipment, or Heroic Spells), include this keyword.

      • Melee and Ranged: If the character can use both Melee and Ranged weapons, include both keywords. The "(if equipped)" clause is essential to ensure that characters can only use certain skills when they have the appropriate weapon equipped. For instance, a character can only use Ranged Skills if they have a ranged weapon, and Melee Skills if they have a melee weapon.

Passive 1: Pre-defined by class (High Tower Text - 12pt size)

Each character generally has 2 passives - 1 which is pre-defined by their class (if they have chosen a core class - Fencer, Mage, Brawler) and 1 which can be created by considering the character’s origins, personality, or unique quirks. If the player has not chosen to be a Fencer, Mage, or Brawler, then both passives can be created from scratch.

Class Passive: Fencer

If the character is a Fencer, one of the following text should be included, based on their skill level -

  • Fencer Novice: This character is able to play any Fencer Skill at a Novice level, and can play an additional Non-Fencer Skill each turn.

  • Fencer Adept: This character is able to play any Fencer Skill at an Adept level, and can play an additional Non-Fencer Skill each turn.

  • Fencer Master: This character is able to play any Fencer Skill at a Master level, and can play an additional 2 Non-Fencer Skill each turn.

Class Passive: Mage

If the character is a Mage, the following text should be included -

  • Mage (Ancestral Meletian): This character is fluent in the dead language known as Ancestral Meletian. As such, they are able to cast any spells which require fluency in this tongue.

More languages will become available within Chapter 1 of the Campaign, including ways for existing mages to learn these new languages and spells.

Class Passive: Brawler

If the character is a Brawler, the following text should be included -

  • Bare-Knuckle Boss: This character refuses to equip any weapons or armor. Their standard attack is Unarmed Strike which deals damage equal to 2 x this character’s level and can be done twice per turn. Any characters that are reduced to 0 health by Unarmed Strike do not die, and are instead Incapacitated (they are unconscious after the battle, and if woken will be too weak to Initiate combat).

Passive 2: Suggestions and considerations (High Tower Text - 12pt size)

You’ve got full creative freedom when it comes to the second passive, so go wild and pick something that fits the character’s vibe. Just keep in mind that it’s best to focus on non-damage mechanics since things like equipment, skills, and spells usually handle the combat damage. If your character isn’t one of the core classes with a pre-set passive, you’ve got the green light to come up with both passives as you see fit.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

  • Think about what your character might excel at outside of battle. What Role Playing Skills could they shine in? (You can find more info about Role Playing Skills in the Learning the Basics section.)

  • Passives don’t always have to be a bonus! If your character already has a powerful edge (like a custom Heroic Weapon or Armor), throwing in a downside can help keep things balanced.

  • Try to avoid passives that pigeonhole your character or cut off certain paths. For example, a passive that makes the character constantly hiccup when nervous might seem funny, but it would pretty much kill any chance of them being stealthy or lying convincingly.

The key is to create something that adds to the character without boxing them in.

When in doubt, check the Cards section to see what passives have been implemented on the character cards already - it may provide inspiration!

Templates

Here are blank templates for character and item cards, with Common cards having a lighter background and Heroic cards a darker one. Heroic item cards should be reserved for those rare and valuable items—either because they’re expensive or super useful. Heroic character cards are perfect for bosses or key figures who play a major role in your story. For consistency, I use High Tower Text font when creating these in Photoshop. When creating Heroic cards, change the font color to white, and apply the Stroke effect to provide lettering with a black outline - this will make the wording more visible on the darker background.

Veletian characters

Meletian characters and magic

Western Shore characters

Equipment cards

Consumable cards

Adding illustration

As I mentioned in the About and Updates sections, I currently use AI-generated art to create the illustrations for these cards. Specifically, I rely on Leonardo.AI for the artwork, using a 9:16 ratio for characters, equipment, magic, and consumables, and a 16:9 ratio for skill cards. To get the best results, it’s crucial to provide a detailed and thorough prompt about the subject you want to create. It might take a few tries to land on an image that feels just right for your card, so don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t happen on the first go.

If you’re interested in using AI tools for this, I’d recommend checking out some freely available guides and FAQs—they can be really helpful. Once I’ve got an image that fits the card I’m working on, I like to run it through the enhancement feature in KREA. Even though Leonardo.AI has its own enhancement tool, I’ve found that I personally prefer the results from KREA. So, that’s my process—feel free to experiment and find what works best for you!

That being said - you may be a talented artist yourself. Feel free to come up with original art for your cards. If you do, let me know! My email is available in the Contact section. I would love to see what people come up with, and if you wish I could possibly add these cards in a community submissions section for others to use in their games.