Negative Quirks

Addiction

The character is addicted to some form of drug. Once per day the character must succeed on a WIL roll with a -3 penalty to resist their addiction. Failure results in a -1 cumulative penalty to DEX, STR, WIL and CHA until such time as the character indulges or overcomes their addiction (see Medicines and Narcotics in the Talislanta Gamemasters Guide)[cite: 2].

Albino

The character has a complete lack of pigmentation, making bright light uncomfortable (subtract 1 from all their visual PER rolls under such light conditions). Ahazu that take this Quirk lose their striations and the associated Stealth bonus in their native habitat, while Darklings with this Quirk lose their Stealth bonus in darkness[cite: 2].

Alcohol Intolerance

The character gets drunk relatively easily. The character receives a -2 penalty to CON rolls to resist the effects of alcohol[cite: 2].

All Thumbs

The character has poor coordination. The character receives a -1 penalty to DEX for purposes of manual tasks, such as picking pockets, engineering, or playing an instrument[cite: 2].

Animal Antipathy

The character receives a -2 penalty to CHA when determining how well animals react to him. This benefit only affects those creatures with an INT between -11 and -6[cite: 2].

Anosmia

The character has no sense of smell or taste whatsoever. Jaka with this Quirk also lose their ability to track by smell, and Stryx with this Quirk lose their ability to detect carrion[cite: 2].

Blind

The character cannot see at all. All actions involving vision are performed as if in total darkness (-10 action penalty), although the Blind Fighting skill can alleviate this penalty in some situations. PER rolls involving vision are impossible, as is ranged combat. Black Savants and Phantasians with this Quirk lose the ability to see invisible/astral presences and magic, respectively. Gnomekin and Darklings lose their ability to see in any form of darkness, Nagra lose their ability to spirit-track, Gryphs lose their superior vision, and those races with night vision lose that ability also. On the positive side, both Darklings and Gnomekin are no longer effected by bright light[cite: 2].

Code of Conduct

The character has a detailed and extensive code which dominates her behavior. The player must work with the GM to outline her character’s particular code in detail and then adhere to it. Breaking the code for any but the most extreme of reasons means that the character receives no experience points for role playing that session. Example: Gao Sea Rogue Code of Honor: Never steal from another Gao; never harm innocent victims if you can avoid it, only steal from those who can afford it; your friend’s foe is your own; always avenge an insult[cite: 2].

Compulsion

The character has an overpowering drive to do or take something as often as possible. She must make a WIL roll to avoid following her drive when the opportunity arises[cite: 2].

Deaf

The character cannot hear anything and must rely on Sign, Lip Reading, writing/reading, or some other means of communication. The character automatically fails any hearing-based PER rolls[cite: 2].

Declawed/Defanged

The character has lost the use of his natural weapons[cite: 2].

Deep Sleeper

The character is all but oblivious to the world when she is asleep. The character receives a -2 penalty to PER when she must make a roll to notice something while asleep[cite: 2].

Dependent

An individual relies on the character to look after him, occupying a great deal of the character’s time and effort. Any Dependent should be created in cooperation with the GM[cite: 2].

Derangement

The character is insane in some way. This insanity cannot be suppressed and must be role played, as it dominates the way the character thinks and acts. Those aware of the character’s insanity will often be ill-at-ease around him[cite: 2].

Destitute

The character has no starting wealth and begins play with a RES -5 (possibly modified by other Quirks and subsequent Path selections). In addition, most of her equipment is of poor quality[cite: 2].

Driving Goal

The character is obsessed with achieving a particular goal; everything else is a distraction at best. The goal should be far-reaching and extremely difficult, if not nigh-impossible[cite: 2].

Enemy

An individual or organization is actively hostile to the character. Enemies should be created in cooperation with the GM and at his full discretion[cite: 2].

Fear

The character is afflicted with a mild phobia. The character suffers a -1 penalty on all her actions when faced with the subject of her phobia. The focus of the fear must be something the character has a reasonable chance of encountering, such as heights or darkness[cite: 2].

Flashbacks

In moments of great stress, the character has a 1-in-20 chance of suffering flashbacks to some traumatic event of her past, lasting 1–10 rounds. A WIL roll may be made each round to escape the flashbacks. While experiencing flashbacks, the character is incapable of action[cite: 2].

Flightless

Through some physical accident or birth defect, you are unable to fly[cite: 2].

Fragile

The character has a brittle and fragile physical structure, and takes double damage from attacks with blunt weapons[cite: 2].

Frail

The character is more susceptible to damage than most members of his race. Reduce HP by 3[cite: 2].

Indebted

The character owes a powerful individual or organization something significant. The character begins play owing a contact 5d20 gl[cite: 2].

Infamy

The character has achieved a measure of infamy. The majority of individuals are far less willing to aid, employ, trust, or associate with infamous characters. Infamous characters receive a -2 penalty on all reaction rolls with all but the seediest of contacts[cite: 2].

Insomniac

The character has a hard time falling and staying asleep. The character requires 10 full hours of sleep to recover from spell fatigue and to heal wounds (instead of the usual 7)[cite: 2].

Limp

The character’s locomotion is impaired. The character receives a -2 penalty to SPD when calculating rate of movement[cite: 2].

Missing Hand

The character has lost the use of one hand and cannot perform tasks requiring the simultaneous use of both hands. Many tasks normally requiring two hands can still be performed (subtract 1–5 points from DEX if appropriate and increase time required). If the character uses a prosthesis (typically a hook or similar primitive appendage), these penalties are reduced, when appropriate[cite: 2].

Mute

The character is incapable of speech[cite: 2].

Nightmares

The character suffers from night terrors whenever he sleeps. He cries out and struggles, disturbs others, often wakes feeling exhausted, and often tries to avoid sleep. The character regains only half their normal spellcasting ability and regains only half the normal number of Hit Points with 7 hours of sleep[cite: 2].

Nocturnal

The character is accustomed to activity at night. The character suffers a -1 penalty to PER when in daylight[cite: 2].

Obedient

The character is subservient to either a cause or organization and must obey the orders of officers or superiors (alternately, the character is a slave as is the case with most Ahazu PCs)[cite: 2].

Obese

The character is extremely overweight. Reduce SPD by 2 when calculating movement and halve her encumbrance limit. Finding new garments or armor that fits will be difficult and costly[cite: 2].

One Eye

The character only has the use of one eye. Subtract 1 from PER when making vision-based rolls. A GM may also consider that the character has a potential blind side[cite: 2].

One Leg

The character has lost a leg. Subtract 3 from SPD for purposes of calculating movement and from DEX on any attempts to maintain balance, and subtract 2 from STR for purposes of calculating encumbrance and from CON for movement-related stamina. If not using some type of prosthesis, the character must use a cane, crutch, etc. for movement and balance and may not use that arm for other actions. If the character uses a prosthesis (typically a wooden peg or similar primitive appendage), these penalties are reduced by 1 point each[cite: 2].

Outcast

The character has been outcast from the place or group she called home, never to return on pain of death or imprisonment[cite: 2].

Phobia

The character is afraid of something, beyond any fear it might be expected to provoke. The character must make a WIL roll to even stay in the vicinity of whatever he is terrified of, let alone do anything nearby it, save panic. The focus of the phobia must be something the character has a reasonable chance of encountering, such as heights or darkness[cite: 2].

Poor

The character begins play with only 1/4 of their normal starting allowance in gold lumens and the quality of their weapons and armor is poor as well (-1 to DR or PR)[cite: 2].

Poor Sense

One of the character’s senses is less effective than usual. Subtract 1 from PER when making rolls using that sense only[cite: 2].

Slave Mentality

The character possesses no initiative of their own, and becomes confused and ineffectual without a “master” to give them orders. The character must make a successful WIL roll before taking any action that’s not either obeying a direct order, or part of an established daily routine[cite: 2].

Speech Impediment

The character has a pronounced stutter, lisp or stammer, when speaking and suffers a -1 penalty to reaction rolls when speaking is involved (an Aeriad’s stutter for example)[cite: 2].

Sun Sensitivity

The character’s eyes are extremely sensitive to the light of Talislanta’s twin suns. The character suffers a -3 penalty to PER when in daylight[cite: 2].

Threatening Voice

The character’s voice is unnerving. Individuals hearing the character talk will consider him eerie or threatening. Subtract 2 from the character’s CHA for the purposes of vocal attempts to charm, impress, or seduce, but add 1 to his CHA for vocal attempts to intimidate[cite: 2].

Unattractive

The character is less attractive than is normal for his race but is not truly ugly. Subtract 1 from CHA for the purposes of rolls to charm, seduce, or determine initial reaction of individuals likely to find the character unattractive[cite: 2].

Unlucky

The Marukan curse isn’t a mere delusion; they actually suffer serious bad luck, which is alleviated to some degree by their luck talismans. When not wearing luck talismans, the character suffers a -2 penalty to all Action Table rolls[cite: 2].