To my Dutch-speaking readership: this dev post is an elaboration on a thread covering the same topic.

So, this dev post is a long time coming!

As with many games, this whole ordeal started out as an idea looking for a system.
The idea: Misfit Fairy Tale Characters Stuck In a Post-Fairy Tale World.

At first, I thought I would just slapdash something together, retrofit my idea to some cool existing one-shot system (see my first dev log for that first stab in the dark).  I even  tried my hand at hacking games that touched upon the same themes, but tt always felt like pushing a ball through a square-shaped hole.

So even though there was a substantial overlap with how other games handle the same themes  (I read anything  that even remotely looked like Avery Alder's Dreaming Askwew // Dreaming Apart) or had gameplay elements that were fairly reminiscent (Jack Harrison's excellent Orbital) , it  became clear that for *this* particular game to happen, I needed to come up with my own thing, at least for the character creation part.

Without further ado, here's a short (-ish) overview how character creation happens in Ersten: Ever-After. 

Ideally, this game is played by up to 4 players, not including the GM.

There are two types of character sheets in this game: a group sheet used by all (the Wheel) and a regular sheet per character (the Yarn).

On the GM

The role of the GM in this game is that of a facilitator. Someone who keeps the Wheel turning and makes sure that everyone at the table is heard, and that themes, goals and story arcs flow for all characters in an agreeable fashion.

On Safety

Safety rules are instructed by the GM, but is everyone's responsibility.  Take care of each other's needs. Talk, but more importantly: listen.

7 Characters, no more, no less.

• Players and GM each come up with characters, using a generation table, and their own imagination. 
• They keep going till there are SEVEN characters in total. 
• Ideally, the player group max is 4, not including the GM.
• Characters are not yet named or defined, but should be recognizable as somewhat broad fairy tale archetypes. 
  
  Some quick thoughts on character ideas.
  - In broad terms, anything goes, as long as it fits within the tone and themes of misfits and non-heroes.
  - Make sure that characters are fundamentally different from each other, unless you are all set to chase a certain theme or flavor.
  A troupe of 7 forlorn princesses  has a ring to it (or not, as the case may be). If you can make it work, who am I to stop you?
  - Come up with former villains, down-on-their-luck tricksters, creatures that never had adventures or would-be heroes that missed their call to glory. 
  -Can't find your liking in established tales? Throw in anything you like, from homely gnomes to talking animals or a witch turned into a cat by her own familiar. Be inventive!
  - Add your own wrinkle to a character to set them apart, but don't overdo it. Too many wrinkles can distort the image.

Thread, Noose and Needle

• Everyone talks and comments on these characters and what themes they might touch upon or have come up during play.
• Then, it's time to set a goal for these characters This is called the Red Thread. 
  What do they all have in common? What are they looking for? What do they want?
• Once this goal has been set, the GM notes it as the Red Thread on the Wheel-sheet.

Character Bonds: Nooses & Knots.

• Everyone discusses  at least one bond between two characters. Each bond is called a Noose and noted on the Wheel.
• A Noose comes into play during conversations and play with other characters. Some Nooses get tied into a sturdy knot, others simply loop for a bit or slip loose. Either way, it informs your relationship your fellow Erstlings.
• THEN, ALL PLAYERS CHOOSE 1 CHARACTER* FOR THE SESSION.
• Characters that are not chosen for the session are still in play during our conservations, actions or happenstances that might befall our group of wandering misfits. Want to have  a go at another character during another session? Go right ahead. 

Character Sheets

With all the pump and circumstance of the Group Wheel being front and center, you'd forget that each character  still has their own sheet. 

Characters in EEA are made up of three parts:

• The Yarn: your previous life as a fairy tale archetype, like the Villain, the Trickster, Cursed Animal, or anything else.
• The Fray:  something you lost, have been denied or is otherwise no longer yours. A letter? A lover? A music box? Old Magic? 
• The Needle: the path you are threading for yourself.

The Character Sheet is more than just an abstraction of your talents and abilities, but a tool to navigate your character's themes and stories.
It informs the way your Red Thread runs over  Wheel, which in turn spins your story.