Quirks

Quirks represent attributes that a character has. They serve not only to help define your character, but also to convey mechanical advantages or disadvantages. Playstyle Quirks are used to let us know what sort of experience you want out of the game.

You may take a limited number of Quirks. Your overall Quirk Score must be equal to 1, 0, or -1, and your Quirk Total cannot exceed 7.

Your Quirk Score represents the combined score of all Quirks you have taken. A Quirk's score is either +1 (indicated by a +), 0 (indicated by a 0 or FREE), or -1 (indicated by a -). If a Quirk is labelled, for example, (+ or -), you may take it as + or - let us know which you have selected.

Your Quirk Total is the number of Quirks you have taken. Note that Quirks marked as FREE (i.e. Playstyle Quirks), however, do not contribute to your Quirk Total.

Unless otherwise specified, you may take each Quirk once only.

Skilled (+)

You have a particular set of skills and associated knowledge of a particular area that is advantageous to you. This should be approximately as broad as a set of professional skills, such as athletics, civic administration, history, chemical engineering, politics or tram driving.

Tell us how you developed these skills.

You may take this Quirk up to twice.

Powerful (+)

You have a position of power within The Underground. Examples of power you can exert might be withholding or handing out wages, closing tram routes, shutting down facilities, calling the Director’s enforcers on people.

Tell us what position you have that makes you so powerful, for example being a senior manager or civic leader, and what kind of power this might make you able to exert.

We will get back to you with further details on where your character fits within the power structure.

This Quirk can be used to attempt to produce an effect comparable to one of the Logistics Quirks below. If used this way tell us in the Logistics part of your Turnsheet, in one sentence, what your character is actually doing. Do not tell us what mechanical effect you are trying to achieve. Such a conspicuous use of power may not go unnoticed.

Propagandist (+)

You are adept at making sure people discover the information that paints you and your cause in the best possible light. Others will come by information that supports you, which may or may not be true.

Informants (+)

You can request news on particular people or goings on within the Underground. Tell us how you are able to come by this information, and why your informant is willing to pass on this information. Keep in mind that not every request will be fulfilled, and some secrets may remain beyond their reach.

Phobia (-)

You have a crippling fear of something in particular.

Please note that this refers to an IC fear that your character has. If this is also a fear you have OC, be warned that it will likely be triggered during the course of the game!

Specify what this fear is. Try to choose something that has a reasonable chance of occuring in gameplay. If you would like to play on hard mode choose claustrophobia!

Observant (+)

Your watchful eye picks up on subtle details and their implications, especially in your close vicinity. You have a knack for uncovering things that are concealed in your surroundings.

This Quirk cannot be taken with Tunnel Vision.

Tunnel Vision (-)

You go through life never looking around you, or if you do, you pay no attention. You are more likely to miss important information, and the information you do find could even lead you astray.

This Quirk cannot be taken with Observant.

Reputation (+ or -)

Maybe you have a good reputation within the community, or have a strong support network of family and/or friends who can help you out in times of need. Perhaps your position in the community comes with as many responsibilities as privileges.
Maybe you have a bad reputation within the community—perhaps it is something you have done in your past, or perhaps it is just you—and people you meet may be hostile towards you.
No matter what the nature of your reputation, people know you, and they have Opinions.

Specify a subgroup within the Underground with which your reputation lies, and whether your reputation is good (+) or bad (-).

You may take this Quirk up to twice.

Relationship (+, -, or 0)

You have a close relationship with someone in the underground—perhaps they are a dear friend who is there for you in times of need, or someone who owes you one, or a sworn nemesis, always plotting against you.

Choose an NPC from the wiki or make one up! Tell us what the nature of your relationship is with them, and whether this is advantageous for your character (+), disadvantageous (-) or both (0).

You may take this Quirk up to twice.

Secret (-)

You have a terrible secret that would cause great damage to you or your reputation if revealed.

Please specify what the secret is. Your secret must be of ongoing relevance, for example a stolen good you still have in your possession, a crime you plan to repeat or a view you hold that is unacceptable in Underground society.
We will get back to you to make sure that your secret is appropriate and fits the plot of the game.

Tailored Tool (+)

You have a unique and useful item such as a robotic hand, a drone or any other device of your choosing. (You do not require this quirk for prosthetics that offer no additional functionality beyond that of a normal human limb or body part.) Tell us what your item is, why it is so special.

Vice (-)

You have an irresistible craving, one that society frowns upon but this just makes it all the more delicious. Your desire is such that failure to indulge has a profoundly negative effect on you.

Tell us what your Vice is, and how it affects you when you fail to indulge. Please bear in mind the CAT policy when choosing this!

The following Quirks are for those players who wish to take part in the logistics aspect of the game—by taking them you are OC opting into Terminus’ logistics mechanics. If you would like to be involved in themes of resource limitation but are not interested in interacting with these logistics mechanics then these Quirks aren’t necessary!

The first Logistics Quirk you take must be Scheduler—this is a prerequisite to taking any further Logistics Quirks. However, if you select another Logstics Quirk at character creation then Scheduler becomes FREE: i.e. you get Scheduler and one Logistics Quirk for +1 to your total number of Quirks and +1 to your Quirk Score.

Scheduler (+)

You may schedule a service of length three. See the logistics page of the wiki for more details of what this entails.

Describe why you have this power. Examples might include being a tram driver yourself or having a position in Terminus’ government.

The Scheduler Quirk's cost becomes FREE if you choose any other Logistics Quirk i.e. a Quirk for which Scheduler is a prerequisite.

Secret Base (+)

Prerequisite for taking this Quirk: Scheduler

You have a private facility somewhere on the map that produces a unique Resource.

Tell us what this unique resource is and how you discovered your secret base and how you keep it hidden. We will tell you where your base is and what your base needs to produce its Resource, and what you can do with that Resource in terms of logistics! What it does outside of logistics is whatever makes sense. Bear in mind that if you choose something over-the-top like “laser weapons” expect it to take a LOT of Resources to produce.

Veto (+)

Prerequisite for taking this Quirk: Scheduler

You may cancel one known Move Order.

Describe why you have this power. Examples might include a position of authority within Terminus’ civic hall or influence with gang members.

Great Authority (+)

Prerequisite for taking this Quirk: Scheduler

You may Schedule two additional Move Orders.

Describe why you have this power. Examples might include having friendly co-workers willing to drive services for you, or having a logistics role in Terminus’ government.

Canny(+)

Prerequisite for taking this Quirk: Scheduler

You can remove any forced cost from one Stop, as long as you have scheduled a Move Order that begins or ends there.

Describe why you have this power. Examples might include your technical expertise.

March of the Machines (+)

Prerequisite for taking this Quirk: Scheduler

Move orders you schedule from Stops with at least one Robotics that is not Needed at that Stop or Moved from that Stop do not count towards the number of Move Orders you can Schedule.

Describe why you have this power. Examples might include expertise in programming.

As usual, if the Robotics you are expecting is otherwise consumed, it will likely stress the source to breaking. Be careful or you may have angry players and NPCs coming after you.

Efficient Extractor (+)

Prerequisite for taking this Quirk: Scheduler

Choose a Resource. You may increase the yield of that Resource at a Stop that produces it by 1.

Unlike the other Quirks, these are more about what sort of experience you want out of the game rather than describing your character. You can take as many as you like and change them at any point in the game, and they don't count towards the limit on your number of Quirks.

Make It Interesting (FREE)

You are happy to be put at the center of what's happening. Your character will be more likely to experience the extremes—things might be worse, better, or just very different to how you initially planned them to go, but whatever happens, it will definitely be interesting.

Note to seasoned players: If you would have liked to have taken Hit Me Harder, take this Quirk instead.

More Gore (FREE)

This Quirk indicates you're okay with gruesome narration. It is unlikely to be especially extreme either way, but we will tone down the descriptions of injuries and things more for players without this Quirk.

Make Me Cry (FREE)

Though your encounters may not be more dangerous per se, the effects of them are likely to affect you more, and it's more likely that you'll experience grief, trauma or something else that'll make you want to curl up into a ball and cry.

Mindbender (FREE)

By taking this Quirk, you consent to your character potentially suffering a loss of agency through mind-controlling effects, and indicate that you are okay with receiving detailed descriptions of mind-altering effects. (We will avoid this happening to player characters otherwise, though it should be noted that we expect some mind-altering effects to occur in-game and affect all players.)

Romance Me (FREE)

This Quirk indicates you're okay with NPCs initiating romantic interactions with your characters. It still may not happen depending on whether an appropriate situation arises, and even if you don't take the Quirk you may still initiate things yourself. For ballgowning with other PCs, the Quirk does not apply (as they won't know if you have it), and you should instead check they're okay with it OC on a case-by-case basis.