Quirks

Quirks help manifest your character's identity mechanically. They shape your gameplay experience by providing the concrete abilities and permissions your character will have as a result of their experiences, both in life and afterwards.

Additionally, there are Playstyle Quirks, which provide a more direct OC approach to shaping the game for you as a player by letting the GMs know what themes and content you want in your experience of the game.

Quirks are sorted into categories below.

These quirks are mutually exclusive, and you must select one for your character. They indicate the state of your character's memories, whether some of them are missing or not. They apply to your character before the game begins and help describe your character's background. They don't apply to memory-altering effects your character may experience throughout the course of the game (see Playstyle Quirks).

“It's hard to miss the life I had when I don't remember anything about it, y'know? But I don't even remember what's tying me here, so how am I supposed to resolve it?”

You are a new arrival to Block 2845, and to the Threshold as a whole, with no memory of your former mortal life. You cannot remember who you were, how you died, nor what possible business you left unfinished to tether you to this place. Your memories will resurface throughout the game as part of your Turnsheets.

In selecting this quirk, you are giving the GMs control of your backstory, but we encourage you to let us know if there are any topics or events you want us to avoid – there will be a space for this in the character creation form. (See also the CAT policy for topics that won't be mentioned.)

Additionally, if you take this quirk, we strongly recommend you also take the “Sweet Memories” playstyle quirk. Without it, we won't be able to provide the Turnsheet-based returning of your memories.

“I don't know how to describe it… it's like there's a fog settled in the valley of my mind, and I know whatever's in there is probably important. Maybe the key to my ascension! But I just can't reach it!”

You're no newbie here; you've lived in Block 2845 for some time now. But perhaps for just as long you have had a nagging feeling that something's missing… something you've forgotten. A memory from your life perhaps, or one from your time in the Threshold. Whatever it is, you don't know, just that there's a hole in your recall where something ought to be.

As with “Amnesiac”, we strongly recommend taking the “Sweet Memories” playstyle quirk along with this one to allow glimpses of your memories to return in Turnsheets.

“Sometimes I think the ones who forgot their lives are the lucky ones. I still see it all - every mistake I made that last summer.”

Whether new arrival or old face, by taking this quirk you're indicating that you aren't taking either of the above memory loss quirks. Nothing more, nothing less. You'll have the typical remembering capabilities of the person you are, or were.

While it is by no means a necessity, you are still welcome to take “Sweet Memories” with this quirk. Just because you haven't forgotten, that doesn't mean you cannot remember. The flashbacks you experience in Turnsheets will be more likely to be thematic or character-based than revelatory.

You may take a limited number of quirks from this section to paint a more vivid picture of your character and their place in the Threshold, up to a maximum of 5.

Additionally, each quirk has a value assigned to it. The overall value of all quirks you take must sum to +1, 0 or -1.

Unless otherwise specified, you may take each of these quirks only once.

In life, you had a particular set of skills and associated knowledge from a specific area that you still find advantageous in the afterlife. Everyone has a skillset, but yours is particularly transferable to your new “living” situation. Tell us what skillset your character has, and think about what experience in your life gave you these skills.

If you don't remember your mortal life, you can still take this quirk and you still choose what skillset you have - the source of the skills is unknown to you but you retain the resulting expertise.

You may take this quirk up to twice if you wish.

Your progress towards redemption as estimated in the eyes of Psychopomp determines the quality of your housing and your access to certain facilities, expanding the locations you can visit legally during Downtime. Taking this quirk indicates that your character begins the game closer (+1) or farther (-1) from ascension.

Your moral standing in the Threshold is not set in stone. It will likely vary over the course of the game based on your IC actions. This quirk simply gives you the option of a headstart or a handicap as best fits your character concept. We do not expect taking this quirk to cause PCs to ascend early; this quirk's main goal is to adjust your opportunities for exploration in this afterlife, irrespective of the next.

These quirks are mutually exclusive - you may only take one or the other.

Observant characters have a knack for noticing details others might miss around them, and understanding their potential significance. You will uncover more information about the goings-on around you during Turnsheets.

Unobservant characters instead tend to focus only on what is important to the moment, right in front of them, and their deductions from what they hear are not always the best. You will receive less information in Turnsheets, and that which you do uncover may lead you astray.

Whether deserved or otherwise, the official representatives of Psychopomp have certain presumtions about you. What about you gives them such an impression? Is it something you did as a citizen of Block 2845? Perhaps it's simply your guise of amicability, your relentless sucking up, or maybe you're just Difficult.

Whatever the case, this quirk will affect the way you are treated by Psychopomp representatives in a positive (+1) or negative (-1) way. They may be more harsh or lenient, or they might expect more of you or anticipate that you wind up stuck here.

Some residents in Block 2845, in pursuit of aiding in their ascension, get the opportunity to take on roles in maintaining their area of the Threshold or helping lead others to ascension. You are one such lucky citizen. Consider what job you have taken on as a low-level official for Psychopomp. Do you help repair damaged buildings, maintain the power grid, or assist in the growth of food as a Technician? Perhapse you schedule deliveries, or handle endles paperwork as an Administrator? Maybe you are a Guide – one of the individuals who try to help other citizens improve themselves?

Whatever your role in the Threshold, you will have easier access to information from the higher-ups, as well as to areas of the block more exclusively reserved for officials.

Check the Governance page to learn more about the structure of Psychopomp and the roles of the officials.

You have a close relationship with another resident of Block 2845. A close friend, or someone you'd rather avoid. A romantic partner, or a bitter ex. Whatever the nature of this relationship, it provides some benefit or disadvantage to your character.

Choose an NPC from the wiki, or make your own. Tell us about your relationship to them and consider whether it is a positive (+1) or negative (-1) relationship for you.

You may take this quirk up to twice if you wish, but cannot take it with Sworn Nemesis.

You have a terrible secret, something that could ruin you were it to become known to the wrong people. Perhaps something terrible from your past is hidden solely by another citizen's fortunately patchy memories. Or maybe something you are doing now would earn you disapproving looks from Psychopomp's officials.

Tell us what this secret is and why your character is so fervent about this information remaining hidden. It should be something that is of relevance to your existence and life in the Threshold, and that would in theory negatively affect your character if it were made public.

The GMs may get back to you to ensure your secret is appropriate and fits the plot of the game, but we will try and work something out to enable your concept if there is any issue.

Going beyond a negative relationship, you have an animosity with someone so fierce that they will dedicate themselves to making your afterlife a “living” hell. They will constantly scheme and plot against you specifically, perhaps sabotaging your plans or revealing your secrets.

Consider what past you have with this person to warrant such reckless hate. Is it something from your life, or after you arrived in the Threshold? Is it simply an instinctive dislike? Perhaps it is part of a memory you've forgotten?

You may not take this quirk with Relationship, either positive or negative.

Though your goal as a citizen of the Threshold is to eventually ascend and leave this place, there are many forbidden delights that only serve to trap you here. You have an intense craving for a particular product or service that can be found in Block 2845, the grip of which only holds you back from your ascension. A failure to indulge in this vice for too long can lead to pronounced negative effects on you.

Tell us what your character's vice is. Does it rely on one of the many Snake Dens hiding within arm's reach, or is it a shamefully indulgent dependence on a perfectly permitted experience? Have a look at the locations page for inspiration, or ask one of the GMs about your own idea.

Unlike the other quirks above, these are more about what sort of experience you want out of the game rather than describing your character. You can take as many as you like and change them at any point in the game.

Unlike recent Society games, in Threshold, what would otherwise be called the “Make Me Cry” quirk is ON by default. By taking the “DON'T Make Me Cry” quirk, you are opting out of the results of your encounters being directly emotionally destructive, grief-ridden, or trauma-inducing. This doesn't guarantee good results for every action you take, but it means we'll go easier on your character when bad things happen.

Some aspects of Threshold fit within the horror genre. By taking this quirk you are consenting to your character witnessing, or being directly affected by: medical malpractice, cannibalism, physical and/or psychological torture.

This can involve a loss of bodily autonomy, however this will only occur in Turnsheets or backstory. Remember: just because you cannot die here, that doesn't mean you can't be hurt. Your character may not remember the events in question.

To those players that do take this quirk, we ask that you be mindful of players that haven't taken it. The OC gesture can be used to check if people are comfortable hearing about a topic before continuing with a conversation.

Please bear in mind that, even if you don't take this quirk, there is a chance that other players might still tell your character about their experiences due to their taking this quirk. If such topics make you uncomfortable during Uptime, we would like to remind you about the safety calls that you can use to exit or tone down these conversations.

Please carefully consider your decision before taking this quirk, as it may make your game significantly darker.

Some aspects of Threshold deal with darker real world topics. By taking this quirk you are consenting to your character encountering: addiction, drug use and gambling.

If these are themes you do not wish to witness at all, we recommend you avoid the Snake Dens. However, it is important to bear in mind that there is no guarantee that other players will refrain from discussing these topics during Uptimes. The GMs can only control NPC interactions and Turnsheets. If such topics make you uncomfortable during Uptime, we would like to remind you about the safety calls that you can use to exit or tone down these conversations.

If you intend to create a character that is strongly themed around any of the topics here, please be mindful that not all other players will have done so. The OC gesture is a good way to check if people are okay with a topic before continuing with a conversation.

This quirk indicates you're okay with gruesome narration and gore. It is unlikely to be especially extreme either way, but we will tone down the descriptions of injuries and such things more for players without this quirk.

By taking this quirk, you are giving us the green light for NPCs to initiate romantic interactions with your character. It still mightn't happen if the appropriate situation doesn't arise, and lacking this quirk doesn't prevent you from initiating such interactions yourself.

For ballgowning with other PCs, the quirk does not apply (as they won't know if you have it), and you should instead check they're okay with it OC on a case-by-case basis. Instances where you wish to initiate a ballgown with an NPC should also receive a similar OC check.

Taking this quirk indicates that you are happy for your character to suffer instances of amnesia during the course of the game. You won't be asked to act as though IC knowledge is unknown to you, but your character may be present for events that are simply not revealed to you as the player. This quirk can be taken or not taken independently of your chosen Memory Quirk, as those pertain to amnesia prior to the game as part of your background and do not necessarily result in a potential loss of agency.

The citizens of the Threshold sometimes get brief flashes of memories of times long past – events from their mortal lives and, for those that have been around enough, things from their afterlives too. If you take this quirk, some of these flashbacks will be included in your Turnsheet.

As these are memories, the content of these flashbacks will largely depend on the backstory you create (or the one the GMs create if you're an amnesiac), and will still abide by your other playstyle quirks in terms of content. That said, there is an inherent loss of autonomy associated with watching memories play out, and you don't need to take this quirk if that is a concern for you.

If you intend to play an amnesiac character, we strongly recommend you take this quirk too, as this is the mechanism by which your memories can return. Not taking this quirk will likely result in your character being a blank slate for the entirety of the game.