Session Zero

A Character Creation Game by meghanlynnFTW

How to Play:
Separate the four suits and lay them face down in four piles. Draw a minimum of 5 cards of your
choosing, with at least one from each deck. Using the prompts on the cards, create the story of
your adventurer.

Hearts - Happiness

2 - A certain sound always makes you smile.

What sound is it? How did it come to be of comfort to you? Is it something you still hear now that
you have begun to travel?
3 - You carry a lucky charm with you everywhere you go.
What is it? How did it come into your possession? Why do you consider it lucky?
4 - Not all failures are ruinous.
What failure did you learn something from? How did failing make you stronger? Do you
remember it with fondness or embarrassment?
5 - Your hometown was famous for a great festival.
What was the festival celebrating? What kind of festivities were there? How did this shape you
growing up?
6 - There was a birth you remember with great happiness.
Who’s birth was exceptionally meaningful to you? What do you remember most about them
being born? Why were they so important to you?
7 - You had a stalwart companion growing up.
Describe your childhood pet. How did they come to be your companion? Are they still your pet?
8 - Before you were an adventurer, you had other pastimes.
What was your favorite hobby? Were you always good at it? Do you still practice it now that you
are an adventurer?
9 - Everyone has their tales of triumph.
What story from your pre adventuring days are you most proud of? Why? Do you still tell it?
10 - Birthdays are a cause of great celebration.
Describe your most memorable birthday. What birthday was it? What made it so memorable?
J - While on the road, you have a memory that keeps your spirits up during tough times.
What is your happiest memory? When did it take place? What about it makes it stay with you
through the years?
Q - An advantageous meeting has stuck with you throughout the years.
Who did you meet? Why was it so significant? Do you still correspond with this person?
K - Everyone remembers their first kiss.
Who was it with? When did it happen? What were the circumstances around it?
A - There was someone with whom you shared your heart.
Describe your first love: Did they feel the same way? What about them did you love most?
Clubs - Bonds

2 - You remember someone from your early days of adventuring.

Who was the first person you befriended on your journey? Under what circumstances did you
meet them? Are you still in touch?
3 - Regardless of what life brings, you will always have your sibling.
How many siblings do you have? What is your relationship with them like? Now that you have
become an adventurer, how has this affected them?
4 - Your early days were shaped by the presence of a guardian.
Who was this guardian? How did they come to watch over you? What is your strongest memory
about your time together?
5 - A friendly shopkeeper once helped you prepare for an adventurer’s life.
Who were they? Where did you encounter them? What about your interaction has stayed with
you?
6 - A former love is still part of your life.
How long ago were you in love? What did you love most about them? How did it come to end
between the two of you?
7 - You will always remember your childhood best friend.
How did you come to be friends? What is your favorite memory together? How do you keep in
touch now that you are travelling?
8 - Early in your travels a barkeeper offered important information.
Why did you need their assistance? What information did they provide to you? Did it come at a
cost?
9 - A mentor or teacher helped shape your childhood.
What did they teach you? How long were you under their tutelage? What was the most valuable
lesson you learned from them?
10 - You have fond memories of a former classmate
How long were you classmates? What about them helped shape your days before adventuring?
What became of them?
J - You are no stranger to rivalry.
Who is your rival? How did they come to be that? What makes your rivalry so important to you?
Q - At one time an authority figure had a great effect on you.
Who were they? Where did you encounter them? What about this encounter has stayed with
you over time?
K - You will always be a reflection of your parentage.
What was your relationship with your parents like growing up? What is it like now?
A - A powerful entity once made itself known to you.
What circumstances led to this meeting? Who was the entity? What did this meeting entail?
Spades - Sadness

2 - You cannot let go of what you consider your greatest failure.

What did you fail at? Who was affected by it? Why can’t you let it go?
3 - Better to have loved and lost…
Who is your lost love? Why were they lost to you? Do you still love them?
4 - A natural disaster took something from you.
What type of disaster was it? What was lost to you? Is it likely to happen again?
5 - Death steals from all of us.
What family member did death take from you? When did it happen? What were the
circumstances surrounding their death?
6 - Even the closest of friendships is not safe from death.
Who did you lose? How did you know them? Could you have prevented their death?
7 - You mentor met with an unfortunate end.
Who were they? What did they teach you? How did they die?
8 - Your country was not a stranger to war.
How long ago was the war or is it still being waged? How closely did it battles come to your
hometown? How did it affect your life?
9 - Your hometown once fell under attack.
How long ago was this attack? Who launched the attack? What were the consequences?
10 - A misstep in your early adventuring days cost you dearly.
What happened? What were the consequences? What did you learn as a result?
J - You left someone dear behind when you set off on your adventure.
Who did you leave? What did they do to try and stop you from going? Do you regret leaving
them behind?
Q - Not all beliefs last forever.
What do you no longer believe in? What course of actions caused you to lose your belief? Why
was that belief important to you?
K - Inaction is not without its consequences.
What didn’t you do that needed to be done? Why couldn’t you act when you needed to? What
were the consequences of your inaction?
A - You can never forget what was stolen from you.
What was taken from you? By whom? Will you ever be able to get it back?
Diamonds - Character

2 - Even the bravest of adventurers have fears.

What is your greatest fear? What caused you to fear it? How do you cope when faced with it?
3 - Everyone cries.
When did you last cry? What caused it? Does it cause your shame or pride to have shown
emotion that way?
4 - We all have our secrets.
What is your biggest secret? How long have you been keeping it? What would you do if it were
found out?
5 - Old habits die hard.
What is your worst habit? How long have you had it? Have you ever tried to break yourself of it?
6 - There’s always something…
What is your biggest regret? What about it leaves you unable to move on? Are there
circumstances in which you could forgive yourself?
7 - Just one thing.
If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be? Why? How would this change
affect your life?
8 - Head in the clouds? Or feet on the ground?
Are you a realist or an idealist? How did this shape you growing up? How does this affect you in
your travels?
9 - A chink in the armor.
What is your greatest weakness? Has it always been that way? What do you do to compensate
for this weakness?
10 - The pen? Or the sword?
Do you use words or actions to fight? In your mind why is that the more effective option? Do you
ever waiver in your choice?
J - Everybody has their reasons.
Why did you take up the life of an adventurer? Was it a hard decision?What did you leave
behind when you left?
Q - Scars are stories.
What is your most notable scar? How did you get it? Is it brandished as a mark of pride or
hidden as a mark of shame?
K - Nobody’s perfect.
What is the biggest lie you ever told? Who did you tell it to? Why did you do it?
A - More than anything…
What is your greatest desire? What will it take to achieve it? What would you give up to see it
realized?