Walkabout Character Generation - Phase 3: Adolescence

I've been getting some good discussion on Facebook, mostly from a few old friends who've been watching the project unfold, but it would be interesting to hear what a few other people have to say about the development of this system. I'm worried that it's all a bit vague at the moment, and people don't have enough context for these posts to make sense. It's all clear in my head, but I'm sure there are more elements that need to be revealed before it all makes sense to the rest of the world.


There will be some explanations with sample characters generated at the end of this series of posts describing the generation/life-path system. Two more parts of character generation after this one.

On achieving adolescence, a person starts who identify who they are and make decisions for themselves based on that identification. This is a time when deliberate choices about the future are made in a person’s life, rather than accepting the choices of parents or guardians, and it is at this stage that a person begins the journey that will define their legacy. Some may choose to remain with their family or the cultural group they have grown up with, others may choose a different path. Each of these choices will make an impact on the stories told.   

Roll 6 d8 to determine relationships and events during your adolescence.

Advances:

• Gain a random attribute. If you have 3 or more relationship levels to a specific culture, you may instead choose one of the two attributes commonly associated with this culture. (If you have already used this for a specific culture, you must choose the other associated attribute)
• Gain any ability from your culture. If you have 3 or more relationship levels to any specific culture, or member of that culture (including a parent), you may choose a common ability associated with that culture. 
• Gain a free bonus.

Write a sentence or two describing the events that lead to the improved attribute, the ability gained, and the free bonus. If you want to write more, you can once again write about what happened to improve or degrade any relationships. If you rolled one or more multiple results, each instance requires you to ask another player to answer a question; incorporate that answer into at least one of your sentences (or add a new sentence).  Some of these sentences could describe times when you asserted independence from your family, finding new mentors and role-models; your sentences may start to show specific items that you still carry, elements such as clothing, hair, and mannersisms that you might have adopted at this age, as well as referring back to significant people who might have appeared at earlier stages of your life.

Note: Free Bonuses   Once a character has reached adolescence, they are able to make more decisions for themselves and more specific define the paths they want to take in the future. This is reflected through free bonuses, which may be used to improve specific characteristics and tailor the character toward a certain path. A free bonus may be used to: ·         Improve an attribute*   ·         Gain a resistance* ·         Gain an ability, edge, enhancement, or piece of equipment associated with the character’s location or culture. ·         If character has the requisite abilities for an occupation, they may declare that they have pursued this occupation. Now they may spend any of their free bonuses to gain an edge or an ability associated with the occupation. ·         If character has three relationship levels in a subculture, they may gain its relevant edge or an ability associated with it.   * This free bonus option may only be selected once