Character Creation, Character Death, and Stormbringer

I've thought about the relationship between chargen and character death for quite some time.

Then I heard Dave (Tentacled Whisperer) say the following on the Breakfast in the Ruins podcast :

(I dunno why that turned into a GIF from Word, but whatevs)

THIS is precisely the issue with modern RPGs, and all RPGs.

Basically, the formula is thus:

The amount of time it takes to create a character is inversely proportional to the GM's willingness to kill them.

So if you're playing OD&D, you roll 3D6 in order 6 times, grab some gear and a name, good to go, knowing you may die at any time, but that you can turn a henchman into a new PC in 5 minutes.

Conversely, if you've spent days agonizing over backstory, build, and character concept, you want some time in the limelight, and the GM is reluctant to take that away from you with a random encounter.

So Stormbringer...

As Andy of BitR puts it, 90% of Stormbringer characters are shitkickers. As he points out, "You're not Elric."

Therefore, a Stormbringer RPG should make chargen plain and simple. Like the Barbarians of Lemuria Stormbringer hack someone put out a few years back.

Hold on, wait a minute...

But if we're talking about emulating the fiction, characters are definitely NOT shitkickers. They ARE Elric, and Hawkmoon, and Corum. Or else Moonglum, and Jhary. Then Count Whatsisname. And finally unnamed solder or sailor.

Reusing pics like a boss

In this case, instead of rolling for Nationality, MAYBE we should be rolling for the role of the character in the Multiverse. Are they...

The Champion Eternal?

A Companion?

A love interest?

An ally or rival?

An unnamed supporter?

This way reminds me of the suggestion I made on BitR for using Ars Magica to turn Stormbringer into troupe play with the EC at the center and other players as various levels of mooks.

Or else we choose the style of play from the two I proposed previously:

Saga Play - We need the Eternal Champion and his or her attendants, and the stakes are existence.

Pulp Play - You are shitkickers, killing and dying in the Young Kingdoms. Stakes are enough coin to live or get dead drunk.

This choice also determines much of the rules used:

Saga Play - Encumbrance and wealth are handwaived, possibly linked to social standing.

Pulp Play - Count every coin and every stone of weight.

These are good issues to ponder.

(Postscript: The above was written exhausted from passing the DELF and celebrating with Strongbow, so bear with me...)