POP 0: Character Creation

Summary
Luke Varner introduces the cast of this campaign: Tyberius Wilson, Fabby Garza, Mike Painter, and Crystal Zaslavchik. There is also Zoe Tunnell, who could not make it to this recording.

As discussed in Design Session #0, Eidolon POP leans towards a more Persona-esque style compared to Eidolon ROCK. Before the game can begin, however, characters need to be made. Most of the players have an idea already of what they'll be playing, but now it will all be finalized. The campaign will be set at Joseph University of North Gibsonburg, where most of the players will be students that take Narrative Musicology and the Occult Philosophy of Stories. This is a class run by Tyberius Wilson's character, who designed it with the hope that no one would take it.

Tyberius Wilson
First to discuss his character is Tyberius Wilson. His character's Playbook is the Veteran, meaning he had previous adventures in days long gone. While protagonists in the Persona series are predominantly teenagers, this character can lean on the archetypes of the adult figure who supports the party. Tyberius Wilson does not have a name prepared, but suggests Quentin for a first name. He does have an Eidolon name ready - Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. Its power is providing crucial support with threads, making use of the power of its former Playbook (Alchemist) of turning sound into threads. Tyberius Wilson describes the Eidolon as being spider-like with trickster/gangster vibes and multiple eyes. In its younger form, it was more spider-like. In order to save time hashing out the character's entire backstory, Luke Varner suggests they can only hazily remember the previous adventure they went on, with blanks filling in later. Very tall, very thin, humanoid, 3 pairs of arms, 8 eyes. In a suit, smoking a cigar. Quentin's greatest fear is his past catching up with him.

Fabby Garza
Up next is Fabby Garza. She is playing the Inhuman, a Shade who found her way to the human world somehow. In The Undertow, the character is an anthropomorphic bear girl named Ursa that can take the appearance of a human. In human records it is Ursula, due to a mishearing that she is too awkward to correct. Her Eidolon is Revolution Lover, which can turn into any weapon that hurts her enemies and heals her friends. In her bear-form, it is a floating cartoon heart with a bluish metallic ring. In her human form, it is a heart-shaped backpack. Ursa is awkward, dorky, and kinda charming. A weird sense of fashion, but kind of adorable. Her human form is similar to the bear form, 20-23, short hair pixie cut. Ursa's backstory is that she found The Undertow harmful and isolating, somehow found a way to escape to the human world, and fell in love with it. She wants to be around humans, going to all sorts of gatherings and meetings. In a million clubs because she just wants to be around people. Her greatest fear is being unable to return to the human world. Her outfits are dramatic, clash, and somehow work. Neon plastic boots, jean jacket, feather boa.

Crystal Zaslavchik
Then it is Crystal Zaslavchik. Her character's name is Alexis Lorentzen, with the nickname 'Lore'. Her Eidolon is Vivid Memories Turn to Fantasies, an Alchemist, which can transform any photographs it touches into the subject of that photograph. Alexis is a conspiracy theorist/investigative journalist. College-age, but doesn't actually attend the school. She hangs out in Quentin's class, because he doesn't care. She isn't very fashionable, dressing to blend in. Her greatest fear is feeling unable to trust her own mind. Her vision of justice is to uncover truth. Her Eidolon looks like a cat in the human world, and a cat furry in The Undertow.

Mike Painter
Last in this initial recording is Mike Painter. Their character is named James, who has no nickname but really wishes he did. Something like 'The Wizard'. His Eidolon is Time After Time, a wristwatch in the real world. In The Undertow, it is a giant owl. Time After Time is a Navigator, which can perfectly sense patterns in the area around it. James' Area of Expertise is entomology, he loves bugs. James never really had many friends throughout school, and hoped college would be a fresh start for him. It wasn't, with him only really knowing the people in Quentin's class, as its small enough for him to end up speaking regularly. James values neatness and order a lot, and his greatest fear is losing control of his own destiny.

Ties and Backstory
Having done all they can do without the presence of Zoe Tunnell, Tyberius Wilson poses a question to the rest of the group: How did they find their way into Quentin's hard-to-enter class, Narrative Musicology and the Occult Philosophy of Stories?

James was short an elective, and asked his counsellor to put him in the elective with 'the fewest people in it right now'. Ursa is registered for every class. She usually prefers to attend the busier classes, but likes coming by this classroom because no other class uses it. Alexis generally prefers to squat in the larger classes, where she can blend in. She sits in on this one, as she's heard of Quentin before and knows he won't make her leave or cause a fuss.

Lastly, Ties. At this point in the game's development, Ties are merely a bond you have with another person, group, or idea that you sacrificed something important to you for.
 * Quentin has ties with "the student body of Joseph University of North Gibsonburg", James, and his family.
 * Ursa has ties with Zoe Tunnell's character, James, and the human race.
 * James has ties with music, Zoe Tunnell's character, Ursa, and Alexis.
 * Alexis has ties with Quentin, the Truth, and the value of life.

Trivia

 * Everyone in the cast has played with Luke Varner in a tabletop game before, except for Crystal Zaslavchik.
 * played in a previous off-air playtest of EIDOLON: Become Your Best Self.