• Overview
  • Map
  • Areas
  • Points of Interest
  • Characters
  • Races
  • Classes
  • Factions
  • Monsters
  • Items
  • Spells
  • Feats
  • Quests
  • One-Shots
  • Game Master
  1. The Shattered Imperium
  3. Lore

01. Creating a Character with Franz

Start with a Concept

Describe the kind of character you want to play.

Include a few important details:

  • Race or species

  • Role or preferred class

  • Background

  • Personality

  • Faction connection

  • Combat style

  • Personal goal

  • Starting location

Examples include:

  • A Cadian scout from a disgraced military family

  • A Kroot mercenary hunting an unknown creature

  • A sanctioned psyker troubled by visions of Cadia’s destruction

  • A renegade Tech-Priest searching for forbidden machinery

  • A Necromundan bounty hunter fleeing a criminal employer

  • A Blackshield Astartes hiding their former Chapter

The concept should leave room for the character to change during play.

What Franz Should Generate

Ask Franz to create a complete Friends & Fables character sheet containing:

  • Name

  • Race

  • Class and level

  • Background

  • Alignment or moral outlook

  • Strength

  • Dexterity

  • Constitution

  • Intelligence

  • Wisdom

  • Charisma

  • Armor Class

  • Maximum hit points

  • Speed

  • Saving throws

  • Skill and tool proficiencies

  • Appearance

  • Personality

  • Mannerisms

  • History

  • Faction connections

  • Motivation

  • Weaknesses

  • Starting Items

The Mannerisms section should remain near 500 characters.

Characters of level 4 or higher should receive an appropriate feat or Ability Score Improvement.

Review the Sheet

The generated character is a first draft.

Check that:

  • The class supports the intended role

  • Ability scores support the class

  • The race and background match the concept

  • Appearance and personality feel distinctive

  • All six ability scores are listed

  • Starting Items are included

  • The character has a reason to join the party

  • Level 4 or higher characters have a feat or Ability Score Improvement

Ask Franz to revise anything that does not fit.

Choose Starting Equipment

Most characters should begin with:

  • One primary weapon

  • One sidearm or backup weapon

  • One close-combat weapon

  • Appropriate armor

  • Ammunition or power packs

  • A weapon-maintenance kit

  • Communication equipment

  • Class or background tools

  • Basic survival supplies

  • One or two personal belongings

Equipment should support the character without providing every possible solution.

A scout might carry a long-las, laspistol, combat knife, reinforced scout flak vest, camouflage cloak, magnoculars, and maintenance kit.

A Tech-Priest might carry a sidearm, utility weapon, armored robes, sacred tools, data equipment, and replacement components.

Choose Weapons and Armor

Select weapons based on:

  • Preferred range

  • Strength or Dexterity

  • Stealth

  • Reliability

  • Ammunition availability

  • Armor penetration

  • Faction access

  • Character size and training

Armor should suit the character’s class and background.

A scout may wear reinforced flak armor. An elite shock trooper may use carapace armor. An Astartes requires an appropriate power-armor pattern.

Rare equipment should have a reasonable narrative explanation.

Choose Spells

Spellcasting characters should choose powers that match their concept and party role.

A useful selection may include:

  • One reliable attack

  • One defensive power

  • One movement or escape option

  • One utility or investigation power

  • One support, healing, or control power

A psyker does not need only damaging powers.

Telepaths, seers, biomancers, Warp warriors, machine mystics, and Orators should receive spells that reflect their specialization.

Use approved campaign spells whenever available.

Choose Feats

Feats should reinforce the character’s identity.

Possible themes include:

  • Marksmanship

  • Heavy weapons

  • Close combat

  • Leadership

  • Psychic power

  • Movement

  • Survival

  • Armor

  • Technical skill

  • Toughness

  • Fighting styles

  • Species traits

Choose a feat that adds a memorable capability rather than only the largest bonus.

Create the Portrait

Once the sheet is final, use the in-game image generator.

The prompt should describe:

  • Race and gender presentation

  • Apparent age

  • Build

  • Face and expression

  • Hair, eyes, skin, mutations, or augmetics

  • Clothing and exact armor

  • Primary weapon

  • Important equipment

  • Faction markings

  • Pose and personality

  • Background

  • Square 1:1 framing

The portrait should match the actual character sheet.

Do not include weapons, armor, mutations, or augmetics the character does not possess.

Portrait Style

Art Style: Painterly Realism
Art Theme: Gothic Illuminated Chronicle
Aspect Ratio: 1:1
Composition: One centered subject, waist-up or knees-up
Presentation: Realistic anatomy, weathered materials, strong silhouette, dramatic three-quarter lighting, atmospheric background, PG-rated, no text, border, logo, or watermark

Connect the Character to the Campaign

Every character needs a reason to join the opening party.

Possible reasons include:

  • Orders

  • A contract

  • A shared enemy

  • Mutual survival

  • Seeking passage

  • Protecting someone

  • Investigating a mystery

  • Recovering a relic

  • Repaying a debt

  • Escaping danger

The party does not need to begin as friends. They only need a believable reason to cooperate.

Starting Locations

  • Gate of Arrival, Cadia: Soldiers, pilgrims, agents, and travelers

  • Scavenger’s Rest, Necromunda: Mercenaries, criminals, mutants, and scavengers

  • Krell’Sharr Platform: Kroot, xenos traders, and unusual allies

  • Hall of Supplicant, Medrengard: Renegades, prisoners, and Chaos operatives

  • Imperator Illuminatio: Inquisitorial agents and assembled specialists

The starting location shapes the opening adventure but does not restrict the campaign.

Character Generation Prompt

Copy and edit this prompt:

Create a complete Friends & Fables character for The Shattered Imperium using the campaign’s D&D 5e rules and available custom races, classes, backgrounds, feats, spells, and items.

Character concept: [Two or three sentences]

Race: [Chosen race or ask Franz to select]

Preferred class or role: [Class or battlefield role]

Level: [Starting level]

Background: [Former occupation, home, or history]

Personality: [Temperament, beliefs, and habits]

Appearance: [Build, face, clothing, armor, scars, mutations, and augmetics]

Combat style: [Weapons, range, tactics, or powers]

Faction connection: [Faction, employer, rival, or patron]

Personal goal: [What the character wants]

Weakness or complication: [Fear, debt, enemy, obligation, or vulnerability]

Starting location: [Approved starting location]

Generate:

  • Name

  • Race

  • Class and level

  • Background

  • Alignment or moral outlook

  • All six ability scores

  • Armor Class, hit points, and speed

  • Saving throws

  • Skills and tools

  • Appearance

  • Personality

  • About 500 characters of Mannerisms

  • History

  • Faction connection

  • Motivation and weakness

  • Reason to join the party

  • Complete Starting Items

Use ability scores appropriate to the class and concept.

For level 4 or higher, include an appropriate feat or Ability Score Improvement.

Afterward, recommend suitable weapons, armor, ammunition, equipment, spells, and feats for the player to review.

Do not determine future player choices or secretly change the character’s loyalty.

Short Prompt

Create a level [level] [race] character for The Shattered Imperium. They are a [role or class] from [background or location] who fights using [weapons, tactics, or powers]. They are [personality], connected to [faction], and want to [goal]. Generate complete statistics, appearance, personality, roughly 500 characters of mannerisms, history, party connection, and Starting Items. Include all six ability scores and an appropriate feat if level 4 or higher. Then recommend weapons, armor, equipment, spells, and feats.

Portrait Prompt

Create a featured-character portrait in painterly realism with a Gothic Illuminated Chronicle theme.

Depict one [race and gender presentation] [class or role] named [name].

Appearance: [Face, age, build, skin, eyes, hair, scars, mutations, and augmetics.]

Armor and clothing: [Exact equipment from the sheet.]

Weapons and gear: [Only items the character possesses.]

Pose and personality: [Expression, posture, and mood.]

Background: [Starting location or atmospheric environment.]

Use realistic anatomy, weathered materials, a strong readable silhouette, dramatic three-quarter lighting, and deep atmospheric shadows. Centered single subject, waist-up or knees-up, strict 1:1 square framing. PG-rated. No extra characters, text, border, logo, or watermark.

Final Checklist

Confirm the character has:

  • Race

  • Class and level

  • Background

  • All six ability scores

  • Armor Class, hit points, and speed

  • Skills and saving throws

  • Appearance and personality

  • Mannerisms near 500 characters

  • Faction connection

  • Personal goal

  • Party connection

  • Primary weapon

  • Sidearm

  • Close-combat weapon

  • Armor

  • Ammunition

  • Utility equipment

  • Starting Items

  • Spells when applicable

  • Feat or Ability Score Improvement when applicable

  • Matching 1:1 portrait

Franz creates the first draft.

The player decides who the character becomes.