Quirks and Flaws are the icing on the cake when it comes to character creation, and are interesting features about your character that can't easily be represented through Skills. Quirks are advantages that your character has and may be actively employed, whereas Flaws hinder your character and will tend to strike without warning.

Quirks and Flaws may be purchased at Character Creation, though both may be acquired or lost through gameplay (though not through Character Advancement).

At game start you may take 1 free Quirk (+), followed by up to 3 further Quirks so long as each is offset by a Flaw (-). You may also take additional Flaws, regardless of the number of Quirks, up to 5 Flaws in total. Unless specified, you may only take a Quirk or Flaw once. Quirks/Flaws designated by (+ AND -) count as one Quirk AND one Flaw towards your totals.

Playstyle Quirks listed at the bottom of the page are completely free and do not count towards your totals. They can be used to tell the GM team a bit about how we should handle your character and interpret their actions in case of ambiguity. You can take as many of these as you like, and can freely add or remove them at any point over the course of the game.

If you have any questions, please get in touch with the GM team.

These quirks and flaws reflect your own personality or personal history.

Adaptive (+)

While many Muses find that their role in a Vignette is fixed once it's begun, you're able to switch between parts once at will once things are up and running. It might not make things go entirely your way, and other Muses won't like being pushed out of things, but you'll certain have more options!

Back from the Brink (-)

You once came dangerously close to Fading, and it has left you scarred. The prospect of Fading terrifies you, and may cause you to act irrationally if you feel threatened.

Bullet Magnet (-)

No matter where you are, or what you are doing, when trouble kicks off you are somehow always on the receiving end of it. At least that's how it feels. If you take this flaw, you are not more likely to end up taking fatal damage, but any ruckus that goes on around is much more likely to rebound onto you.

Deckbuilder (+)

The best sources of Tropes are out in Vignettes and Far Dream, but occasionally they appear closer to home, too, and you're often lucky enough to find them. You get one free Trope Card per turn, in addition to whatever you get from actions.

Extra (+ AND -)

There's the BORING way of doing things, and then there's YOUR way of doing things: with FLAIR and PIZZAZZ. It may not always be the safest approach, but attention is what Muses need, and attention is what you get.

Fading (TWO -)

Jo hasn't thought of you in a while, and even though everyone's collective Juice is low, you find your powers especially weak. If you take this flaw, you'll be Fading, which means you're losing your Creative Juices. You'll probably want to do something about this before it gets worse!

(If you ignore this it will gradually affect you more seriously, and your character will eventually become unplayable.)

Fashionably Late (+)

You bide your time in using your Skills. Your intentions will be some of the last to transpire across the Dreamscape and Impressions, which means you tend to get the last say.

(Cannot be taken with Quick Thinker.)

Old School (-)

Fancy Juicetronic inventions and new fangled tech is lost on you. You're a Muse dammit! Your powers are rooted in changing story and making an impact on Jo; no more, no less. You are less capable than normal at understanding the dynamics of the Juice Vat, portable Juice batteries, mining tools, vehicles that traverse Dream and other devices that require Juice to power.

Once Censored (-)

Though you've been welcomed back into society (at least by some), your ideas were just too radical for most Muses to deal with - so they Censored you. You'll have the outline of the word “CENSORED” somewhere visible on your body, and you certainly won't be the most popular Muse in town.

Quick Thinker (+)

You are unusually fast to unleash your narrative powers upon a Vignette. Your intentions will be some of the first to affect the Dreamscape and Impressions, which allows you to get in early.

(Cannot be taken with Fashionably Late.)

Resources (+)

In these volatile times, wealth is more important than ever - and you've got a little something stashed away. You start the game with 4 Trope Cards. You may suggest vague preferences for these, though you can't be specific.

Wanderlust (-)

You just can't sit still in Spindle. You thrive being in Vignettes and beyond the city of Muses. If you haven't left in a while you get antsy. This makes actions taken in Spindle far less effective if you haven't visited Vignettes or Impressions in a while.

What Could Possibly Go Wrong? (-)

Well, what could? Your planning's on point, everyone's in the right place and you've got your target just where you want them. There's nothing that you might have missed so what is there to worry about?

OC: This will often hit at unexpected and inconvenient times, though we will always aim to ensure things fail in a fun way!

Why Are You Like This? (+ AND -)

You have one non-human part gained as you have matured as a Muse. This might be biological, mechanical or otherwise, but it must be related to your personality and Ideal. You may choose what it looks like, but seeing as it is non-human in a mostly humanoid world, it is difficult to maintain, use and can be clumsy in unforeseen ways. However, it will provide you with an unusual advantage if used effectively.

These quirks and flaws reflect a relationship you have with others.

Allies (+)

They've got your back through thick and thin, and will help out wherever (and however) they can, though it's usually not a good idea to push them too far! They might be specialists from your faction or just a few friends you've made in Spindle, but what's important is that they're there for you.

Booed (-)

There is a particular Vignette in which you really messed up in the past; as a result these Impressions remember. And they remember just how much they don't like you. If you aren't careful they'll start spreading rumours about your shoddy work - or worse.

Dark Secret (-)

You're hiding something, and you don't want anybody to know about it. Not anyone that doesn't already know, at least… and that's the problem. If someone blows your cover who knows what might happens? It could be Censorship, or worse… Please let us know the details, in any case!

Owed a Favour (+)

Someone you know owes you one, and you won't let them forget it. Call it in at some point and they'll help you out however they can. Let us know who they are and what they owe you!

Powerful Enemy (-)

Someone dislikes you. Someone with influence and power. Whether they're another Muse with a friendly rivalry or an Impression who sees you as their nemesis, they're going to do something about it. And you're not going to like it.

Responsibility (-)

You hold a great deal of responsibility for someone… or something. It might be a younger Muse you've taken on as your protégé or you might be a community leader; but whatever it is, if you neglect it for too long things might start to go wrong.

These quirks and flaws reflect your own ability to use Tropes.

Adroit (+)

You just have a knack of knowing when certain archetypes would come in handy, and play them at just the right time. Archetype Tropes are more effective when you use them.

(Cannot be taken with Awkward.)

Awkward (-)

You often lose track of what's needed, or get muddled up when trying to shape Vignettes in a certain way. Archetype Tropes are less effective when you use them.

(Cannot be taken with Adroit.)

Clumsy (-)

For some reason you always drop what you need at the critical moment, or things get jumbled in your pocket and you pull out the wrong thing. Object Tropes are less effective when you use them.

(Cannot be taken with Deft.)

Combatant (+)

You're good at picking your fights, and whatever you're wielding you always manage to get the upper hand. Armament Tropes are more effective when you use them.

(Cannot be taken with Wrekt.)

Deft (+)

You've got skilful hands - or feet, or appendages… it doesn't really matter, as problems melt like butter when you point the right thing at it - which you always seem to do. Object Tropes are more effective when you use them.

(Cannot be taken with Clumsy.)

Follower (-)

Some people just know exactly how to shape things to get what they what, but not you. You're always one (or three) steps behind, catching up as best you can. Narrative Device Tropes are less effective when you use them.

(Cannot be taken with Innovator.)

Innovator (+)

You know what you want and how to get it - you'll be writing your own Magnus Opus before long! Narrative Device Tropes are more effective when you use them.

(Cannot be taken with Follower.)

Wrekt (-)

No matter how hard you try - no matter what you try and pull out of your deck - fights tend to go against you. Armament Tropes are less effective when you use them.

(Cannot be taken with Combatant.)

You may only take these quirks and flaws if you are a member of the Academy of Thought.

Flash the Badge (+)

Inquisitives need to cover important stories and thus sometimes in restricted areas - they even have a Badge to prove it. Though you won't be able to go anywhere, you'll certainly be allowed in places above your rank.

Forever an Intern (+ AND -)

Blindly following orders is a key part of an Inquisitive's job. However it seems that you've attracted the attention of someone up above who thinks you are the best person to dictate a specific assignment or even outcome of a scenario. Though it'll grant you a number of perks, you must be seen to strive to achieve this, or suffer the consequences.

Sergeant Pepper (+)

Be it good work, or time served, you're more accomplished than the average Inquisitve. Rather than a basic Inquisitive, you start the game as a Inquisitive Praefectus.

You may only take these quirks and flaws if you are a member of Food For Thought.

A Good Listener (+)

You spend so much time in Food For Thought, it is difficult for you not to hear things that are meant to be secret. Every turn you will receive a random piece of information or a rumour.

A Secret Recipe (+)

You understand the art unique to Food For Thought - the condensation of thoughts into taste. You know how to code information into food that can be translated back once partaken of. You can, usually, pass on information easily without drawing suspicion - though of course that's dependent on the circumstance. After all, there is surely nothing suspicious about gifting your friend some cookies, right?

I'm Only Telling You… (-)

Somehow you are just not very good at keeping secrets. Something you've only told one person always manages to get spread through the whole of the Dreamscape. You just can't keep your mouth shut.

You may only take these quirks and flaws if you are a member of the Free Idea Forum.

Covert Agent (+ AND -)

You've managed to take a position of responsibility in another faction from which you can further the goals of FREEDOM! Of course, this probably won't end well should they ever find out. Let us know which faction you have become embedded in.

Criminal Underworld (+ AND -)

Not everyone in the Free Idea Forum is a true believer. You know a more self-interested subset of the organisation and they can hook you up with illegal tropes, proto-memes and worse… at a price. Trouble is, you're in too deep now and if they go down they'll take you with them.

We meet at last… (-)

You have this alarming tendency to end up being captured by the big bad. Whether its a character you're playing in a Vignette or just running afoul of the Academy of Thought, you find yourself tied up being Monologued at with frighting regularity.

You may only take these quirks and flaws if you are a member of Jommunity.

Bad Reputation (-)

Your ideas are not well supported within Jommunity, and as a result the Jodom doesn't trust you and Jofluencers will be more hesitant to collaborate with you. Let us know what your ideas are, and why people don't like them.

Head Honcho (+ AND -)

You have a small business that you run within Jommunity, complete with a space, products, merch and a couple of Impression staff members. Let us know something about it, though if you leave it unattended it may evolve in unforseen ways.

#sponsored (+)

You have a space within Jo TV to promote whatever product or service you wish, or spread any message you fancy! Let us know what these are!

You may only take these quirks and flaws if you are a member of Nightmare Fuel Weather Station.

Cartographer (+)

It feels like your soul is pulling you in the right direction. It may look like an ordinary wardrobe to everyone else, but somehow, to you, it's something more… You have a better sense of where Transitions lie in Vignettes and what they may contain.

Juicetronic Invention (+)

You have access to a unique Juice powered invention that has yet to be released to the public. While Muses may wield any invention that can possibly be created in this world, usage of inventions that threaten the peace of Dream can and will be prosecuted by the Academy of Thought. Let us know what it is, though.

Some examples of possible purposes for inventions:

• Project a hologram of the contents of a Trope Card.
• Temporarily close a Transition.
• Detect nearby large quantities of Juice.

Well-Travelled (+)

Through your travels you have once visited a long-lost Vignette or discovered a Trope mine that the public doesn't know about yet.

X days without incident (-)

Working in close proximity to the Juice Battery on a daily basis means that when accidents happen, staff tend to feel the brunt of its effects. This makes the Muse more susceptible to the side-effects of Juice experiment malfunctions that may not be your fault.

You may only take these quirks and flaws if you are a member of Pure Inspiration.

Curator (+ AND -)

You are a Curator at the Exhibition Hall and have some sway over which creations get featured. You therefore have more control than most about what gets brought to the forefront of Jo's attention. However, you will also be under considerable pressure from those within Pure Inspiration - and outside it, should your position be more widely known - over which pieces do, or don't, get displayed.

Trendsetter (+)

You have both an innate sense of style and a charm which makes others want to emulate you - and perhaps even a dedicated group of fans. From appearance and clothing choices to trends in Vignette alteration, you find it easier than most to influence the Next Big Thing.

Public Eye (-)

You are a Muse of some fame for one reason or another, and so your actions naturally come under public scrutiny more often than most. This would be fine, except somehow it always seems that the things which gain the most attention are your failures and embarrassments…

You may only take these quirks and flaws if you are a member of the Sell-Out Syndicate.

Efficient Extractor (+)

You have perfected the techniques to effectively extract Tropes. Any action where you are collecting Tropes will yield greater results than others would get.

Security Contractor (+ AND -)

You are one of the Muses responsible for ensuring that the Trope Exchange gets what it's owed, and some amount of work will be expected of you. However, you also have greater access than most to the Exchange's internal workings.

Short Squeeze (-)

You made a deal that, in retrospect, wasn't such a good idea. Until you can fulfil your debt by paying back the particular Tropes you owe, you may be able to persuade them to not call it in with small regular payments.

These quirks don't count towards your totals in either direction. They don't represent in-character traits or abilities, but serve to indicate to the GMs what sort of game you want. If you wish to change your choices about these quirks after game start, feel free to ask your GM.

Hit Me Harder (0)

Taking this quirk indicates that you wish to play the game on hard mode. You wish your encounters with new dangers to be more dangerous, and possibly more dramatic; you accept that it is slightly easier for your character to have an epic death or to come away from an encounter with more injuries.

Make Me Cry (0)

Though your encounters may not be more dangerous per se, the effects of them are likely to affect you more, and it's more likely that you'll experience grief, trauma or something else that'll make you want to curl up into a ball and cry.

Mindbender (0)

Characters with this quirk may be subject to mind-controlling effects. We will avoid this happening to player characters otherwise, but there may still be roleplaying effects from things that alter your mental state, which will take the form of suggestions (e.g. “you feel happier than usual”).

Romance Me (0)

If you have this quirk, NPCs will potentially try to initiate romance with your character. Not taking the quirk doesn't stop you from trying to initiate with NPCs or other players, of course, though make sure they're okay with it first!