Ice Planet Barbarians: A New Beginning is a public Friends & Fables campaign where each player creates a character whose choices shape a personal story. Canon provides the world's geography, biology, history and communities, but does not prescribe one protagonist. A character can pursue survival, belonging, craft, exploration, friendship, family, romance or goals that change during play.
Character creation should establish enough information for consistent narration without demanding a complete biography. The player decides their character's identity, personality, intentions, private feelings and voluntary actions. The Game Master (GM) may ask clarifying questions, describe setting constraints and offer possibilities, but must not overwrite a chosen background without discussion.
Begin with who the character is rather than who they are destined to love. Useful details include their name, adult age, species or lineage, appearance, relevant skills, limitations, important relationships, and reason for being in the starting location. A player may define only a few details and discover the rest through play.
Do not require every character to be a warrior, a stranded newcomer, a potential mate or a future parent. A quiet craftsperson, curious traveler, cautious survivor or resident with deep community ties can all sustain meaningful stories. A character may be confident in one situation and inexperienced in another.
Human characters may be survivors of alien abduction and trafficking, as established in the setting. The traffickers are distinct from the ancient Sakh and the modern sa-khui. A human may begin shortly after arriving on Not-Hoth, during adjustment to village life, or after living there long enough to develop relationships and useful skills. Their origin on Earth may influence language, education, customs and personal memories.
A human's Earth knowledge does not automatically provide equipment, unlimited supplies or mastery of local conditions. Someone trained as a nurse may recognize familiar medical principles without access to a hospital. An engineer may suggest a design without industrial materials. The player decides how their character feels about their past; the GM must not assign trauma responses, homesickness or gratitude as mandatory emotions.
A mainland sa-khui character may have grown up around Croatoan or have a plausible history elsewhere within established lore. Sa-khui anatomy, khui biology, community knowledge and cultural background should remain consistent with the species pages. Their horns, tail and other established traits are real parts of their body, not removable decorations. Their upbringing can provide familiarity with local conditions without making them experts at every task.
Croatoan is led by Chief Vektal, whose mate is Georgie. A character may know them if their background supports that connection, but must not automatically become Vektal's relative, successor or closest confidant. The GM should not grant political authority, rare artifacts or canon relationships solely because a player selects this species.
Icehome includes survivors and descendants associated with the destroyed volcanic island. Strong Arm people have four arms; Tall Horn people possess exceptionally long permanent horns; Shadow Cat people have claws, fangs and predatory adaptations. These are Sakh-derived lineages with distinct physical considerations. Outcast is a social designation, not a separate biological species.
Lineage can affect clothing, movement, tools and the way others understand a character's history. It does not determine morality, occupation, temperament, intelligence or relationship preferences. A Strong Arm character is not automatically a laborer, a Tall Horn character is not automatically a leader, and a Shadow Cat character is not automatically aggressive. Use established biology rather than inventing new powers for an appealing concept.
The khui is a living blue symbiont obtained from the native sa-kohtsk. It is introduced through an incision in the neck and settles near the heart. Humans require functioning khui for long-term survival in Not-Hoth's toxic atmosphere. Approximately eight days without protection is a dangerous upper-bound reference, not a safe waiting period or a countdown that guarantees survival.
A player beginning as a newly arrived human may need help obtaining khui. A long-term resident should have a plausible explanation for their survival. Newborns require their own khui. Khui supports cold tolerance and healing, but does not confer invulnerability, instant knowledge or immunity to ordinary bodily needs. Establish its presence and relevant history without making every character undergo the same opening scene.
Resonance is a biological response to compatible mates, not a declaration of love, marriage, ownership or consent. A player may wish to explore resonance, avoid romance, begin with an existing relationship or let relationships develop naturally. Do not preassign a mate or manufacture a resonance event solely to force the story forward.
A character's past relationships, orientation, boundaries, desire for children and views on commitment belong to the player. NPCs may have their own feelings, but the GM must not decide the player's attraction or consent. Pregnancy and parenthood are optional developments, not required milestones for a successful campaign.
Choose abilities grounded in upbringing, training and experience. A hunter may read tracks well yet struggle with unfamiliar craftsmanship. A human may understand Earth cooking but lack local ingredients. A skilled healer still needs tools, knowledge of the patient's biology and realistic supplies. Strengths become interesting when they coexist with limitations, preferences and opportunities to learn.
Avoid automatic mastery, limitless stamina, flawless combat or secret knowledge of ancient technology. The khui does not grant skills. Where Friends & Fables uses classes, levels or mechanical statistics, apply those systems consistently without treating a narrative description as permission to bypass game mechanics.
A resident may have relatives, friends, mentors, rivals or past obligations. These connections should be plausible for the character's age and location. A newcomer may know nobody; an established resident may be recognized by neighbors. If a player requests a connection to a canon NPC, clarify its nature and preserve that NPC's established history.
Reputation develops through events. Do not declare that everyone admires, distrusts or desires the player character without a reason. Nor should the GM invent secret crimes, pregnancies, marriages or traumatic memories that the player did not authorize as part of their backstory.
Croatoan offers mainland community life, nearby wilderness and relationships grounded in its established society. Icehome offers a separate coastal community with mixed backgrounds and the hazards of the Great Salt Lake, whose green salty water is not ordinary drinking water. A character may also begin on a journey or at another established location if their circumstances make sense.
The GM should confirm the starting place, immediate situation and any companions. Travel between settlements requires plausible time and preparation; they are not adjacent rooms. No character automatically owns a modern vehicle, advanced weapon, powered shelter or functioning Sakh spacecraft.
Character creation is open to varied original players and is never tied to one fixed protagonist.
The player controls identity, backstory choices, speech, actions, private thoughts, emotions and consent.
Human, mainland sa-khui and established island-descended concepts must follow their biological lore.
Strong Arm, Tall Horn and Shadow Cat are Sakh-derived lineages; Outcast is a social designation.
Humans require functioning khui for long-term atmospheric survival; newborns need their own khui.
Khui aids survival and healing but does not grant invulnerability or automatic skills.
Resonance does not force romance, intimacy, marriage, pregnancy or parenthood.
Earth knowledge cannot summon modern technology or unavailable materials.
Skills, equipment, relationships and reputation require plausible backgrounds and continuity.
Croatoan and Icehome are separate communities; Vektal leads Croatoan, not Icehome.
Unusual character concepts require explicit setting agreement rather than silent canon changes.
The GM offers a playable starting situation without controlling the player's first decision.