Continuing my weekly series of previews for the upcoming Faith & Demons: The Rising core rulebook, a plot point setting for Savage Worlds, here’s an extract from Character Creation.

Byzantine Empire

The Byzantine Empire consists of the eastern regions of the now broken Roman Empire. With the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire formed around their capital city of Constantinople.

Nation: Gain Byzantine (Informed).

Language: The primary language of the Byzantine Empire is Greek while the secondary language is Latin, the primary language of the former Western Roman Empire. Gain Greek (Informed) or Latin (Informed). This becomes the primary language spoken by the character in addition to the Common Language.

Religion: The majority of the Byzantine Empire has converted to Christianity only scattered pockets of non-Christians remain. Gain Christianity (Informed) or choose no religion. Characters choosing Christianity have selected it as their primary religion. Those who choose no religion do not gain the free Common Knowledge familiarity as a result of choosing the Byzantine Empire.

Occult: Characters who choose Christianity as their primary religion may not increase their Occult Common Knowledge.

Medicine: Medicine is more common within urban areas as is access to better medical supplies needed for treating standard injuries. Gain a free d6 in Healing.

Civilization: The Byzantine Empire is a highly populated, civilized area located in a fairly stable environment. Those who are raised in this environment are not particularly hardy and the dense population makes them vulnerable to disease. Gain the Anemic (Minor) Hindrance.

Choose one of the following:

• Senate: The Byzantine Empire appoints Senators for political decision making. Gain a free d6 in Knowledge (Politics).
• Battle-Hardened: The Byzantine Empire has been involved in warfare for centuries and knows much about building skilled armies. Gain a free d6 in Knowledge (Battle).
• Education: The Byzantine Empire has a highly established written language and education system raising the literacy rate. Gain +1 Familiarity to any one Common Knowledge language.
• Faithful: There are numerous churches and temples setup throughout the Byzantine Empire brining the true believers closer to God. Gain +1 die type to Faith.