Cortex:Silver Lining Prime Sets
Distinctions
PCs have three distinctions that paint a clearer picture of their background, personality, and role in the story.
For Silver Lining, Distinctions can be challenged like Trait Statements, though the wording don't necessarily need to be as complex as a trait statement. See Trait Statements - Challenging Statements (p 65 CPGH).
When deciding on distinctions, it's important to remember that character growth frequently comes when something a character thinks is a truth about themselves is really lie. Keep this in mind when choosing distinctions.
When creating characters, it can be helpful to shuffle a tarot deck and pull four cards - one to represent the character and the remaining three to represent the distinctions. There are several online sources that give symbolism/meaning of each tarot. Remember, a tarot card can be 'upside down' when pulled, which changes their meaning. As a result, shuffling the deck so that the 'top' of the cards don't all point the same way is important.
Distinctions always have a value of and
SFX
Distinctions come with SFX attached.
All distinctions begin with the Hinder SFX Unlocked:
Gain a when you switch out this distinction’s for a .
In addition, each player should create 2 SFX per distinction. All but two of these these distinctions are locked, and unable to be used. Locked SFX may be unlocked during advancement.
As a character advances, they may attach new SFX beyond the original to their distinctions if they so desire, however newly attached distinctions are always unlocked. The advancement page explains this cost.
Past
It's recommended that one distinction is representative of something in the PC's past, be it a place or origin, circumstance of birth, something they're running from, etc.
Bliss
One distinction should be representative of something that PC feels fulfills some sort of bliss, joy, or thing that drives a character forward.
Fear
One distinction should be representative of something that the PC fears - this can be the most difficult to select, but think carefully - often times action, or inaction, can be a result of someone's fears driving them.
Attributes
Attributes are natural manifestations of personal power. They may be or
Physical
Stronk💪 or fast 💨
Mental
I'm smaaat! 🧠 or Logical 🧮
Social
Personable 😊 or Talkative 🗣️
Skills
Skills represent personal talents and aptitudes. Skills advancement is limited by the skill pyramid.
Capitalist
One who steals using the underhanded tactics of business. Good with numbers, business dealings, and making others part from their hard earned.
Gunner
Proficiency in the use of ranged weapons, both personal or vehicle mounted.
Gumshoe
Investigation, tracking leads, and finding clues.
Larcenist
One who steals, albeit in a bit more noble and straightforward way than a capitalist. Capable of sneaking, picking pockets and other slights of hand.
Lawyer
Understanding laws and customs, including dealing with bureaucracy and law enforcement. Frequent friend to both Capitalists and Larcenists.
Macher
Has connections and enjoys schmoozing with them. Always seems to "know a guy".
Mechanic
Using, repairing, modifying, and understanding machines, engines, vehicles, generators, etc. Good at using hands to manipulate mechanical things. Understands how mechanisms work.
Medico
As a mechanic, but capable of taking care of people. Whether the treatment of injury, or general wellness counseling.
Raconteur
Especially good at talking and influencing others, to convince or make an argument. Can distract or entertain by spinning a yarn. A garrulous person that always seems to have a story, or likes to mingle and schmooze.
Scrapper
Good in the ways of close combat, whether with weapons or bare hands. Am can punch guys.
Pilot
Piloting any vehicles capable of space or atmospheric flight. Also covers driving of vehicles, wheeled or not. Maybe even boats.
Quartermaster
Capable of finding things, both legal and illicit, and knowing the costs and values of such things. May also have some use at locating people whether they want to be found or not.
Technophile
Understands information, computer networks, & systems and programming. Always fielding calls from family members to help uninstall BonziBuddy.
Relationships
Every character has a relationship of some type with the others on the ship. This relationship has a die rating.
The relationship should also be represented by a brief statement on the nature of the relationship. Example: I Trust Bob Implicity or Wouldn't give Tom the TIme In a Clock Factory .
Relationships aren't necessarily reciprocal; your relationship die rating with another character might be a very different than theirs for yours. If there’s any disagreement about the backstory, this needs to be settled before the game starts.
Note: When building a die pool, the die used is the relationships from the person helping to to person being helped.
Example: Bob is rolling to do a thing. Tom say he will help bob. Bob Wouldn't give Tom the TIme In a Clock Factory . But always says I Trust Bob Implicity . Bob gets a , because Tom gives it his all when helping Bob out. Now, when Tom is trying to do a thing, and Bob helps out... weeeellll....
Signature Assets
A signature asset is an item, companion, or other defining characteristic that is important enough to the character to be represented by a die value. Each new character gets a single Signature Asset at , which may be advanced later.
SFX
As a character advances, they may attach new SFX to Signature Assets if they so desire, however newly attached distinctions are always unlocked. The advancement page explains this cost. Signature Assets do not have the Hinder SFX, even if other SFX are attached.
Callbacks
While not a Prime Set, something that should be tracked on the PC's character sheet is callback use.
What is a callback? Good question.
Once per game session, a PC may recall a detail about a previous game session for their character that mirrors or is otherwise application the current situation. Doing so allows the character to activate anything that would normally cost a
Alternatively, they if properly justified, they may recall something about their character's history (ie, not something that occurred in a session) to activate the Callback - however, this shouldn't be something pulled out of the player's ass in that instant just to get a