Cobalt says, "Will you be posting this, Anna?"
Annapurna says, "Yes."
Cobalt says, "Sweet."
Annapurna says, "My general plan is to go through the mechanics, one by one, answering questions as they come up. I do ask that folks save questions about different topics until that section of the pledge mechanics comes up, for clarity's sake."
Annapurna says, "If anyone has a question about something I'm saying, or finds my phrasing confusing, you're welcome to stop me and ask questions."
Meko leaves back to Temp RP Rooms
Misty arrives from Temp RP Rooms.
Annapurna says, "Mechanics aren't the most thrilling thing in the world to hear about, but hopefully I can help demystify pledges and make them a bit easier for folks to whip up. :)"
Annapurna says, "In order, I'll be going through the following:
Theme
Types
Anatomy"
Annapurna says, "Anatomy will likely take the longest, since it has a metric poopton of little fiddly bits."
Annapurna uses very technical language.
Annapurna says, "Any questions before we get started?"
Annapurna says, "From the silence, I'm guessing that's a no. ;) Alrighty then. On with theme."
Annapurna says, "You may very well have heard a lot of this before, but bear with me, please. It is an important part of the rationale for why pledges exist."
Annapurna says, "Changeling is about a group of people who have a very tenuous grasp on reality. They escaped from a place where the very air they breathed was only breathable because of agreements, promises, binding pledges made by their Keepers -- and themselves, whether consciously or not."
Annapurna says, "Changelings don't do that whole 'trust' thing very easily, or willingly, as a general rule."
Annapurna says, "How can you tell, after all, if that hot Succubus you met at the bar is really on your side, and not a Loyalist spy for another Keeper?"
Annapurna says, "Sure, she says she's all yours, promises she'd never hurt you (except in the fun ways), but what proof do you have that she is honest?"
Annapurna says, "Enter pledges, stage left."
Annapurna says, "A pledge is, fundamentally, a promise bound into the Wyrd. Fate. Only people with a Wyrd score can initiate one."
Annapurna says, "Mechanically, as long as one person in the pledge is a Changeling, you're good to go."
Annapurna says, "Folks say the words, make the agreement, and the Changeling seals it in the Wyrd. This takes a fair amount of concentration, i.e. you +spend willpower to do it."
Annapurna says, "Pledges are everywhere."
Annapurna says, "Need cash? Make a day pledge with somebody to clean their house in return for dots in the Resources merit."
Annapurna says, "Poof! Magic money just happens to appear. Maybe you stumble over a wad of bills. Maybe there's an error in the bank calculations and you suddenly have more in your account than you remembered."
Annapurna says, "This is part of the Changeling world."
Annapurna says, "Psychologically, it is a crucial difference between how humans think and how Changelings think."
Annapurna says, "Changeling 'magic' is just another form of agreement."
Annapurna says, "Contracts are pledges someone made with a facet of reality."
Annapurna says, "Pledges can, too, be made without the other party's awareness."
Annapurna says, "Someone tells you, 'Man, I'd do anything for you if you went out and bought me a box of Twinkies today.'"
Annapurna says, "You can slap that into a pledge, bam, and they owe you a favour that day, or Bad Stuff happens to them."
Annapurna says, "They'll feel the pledge come into being -- that part isn't hidden -- but especially if it's a human, they won't have any idea what really happened."
Annapurna says, "Especially once you start hitting High Wyrd, you should be playing this up -- every word out of your mouth has the potential to be a pledge, or to be used against you."
Annapurna says, "Granted, OOC being OOC, staff isn't going to support pledges being forced on other players without that player's consent for the entertainment it will bring to their RP."
Annapurna says, "Changelings are paranoid, when it comes down to it."
Annapurna says, "Watch your phrasing. Don't start sentences with 'I wish' or 'I'd do' unless you want someone to take advantage. Or do, and have fun with it. Try to trick NPCs into things during PRPs, try to twist them into doing things which will protect you. It's quintessential fae behaviour."
Annapurna says, "Word lawyering."
Annapurna says, "Doesn't matter what your -intent- is. If the word lets something happen, it's a valid interpretation."
Annapurna says, "And, again, this is core Changeling theme."
Annapurna says, "Be careful what you wish for. Be careful whom you trust. Don't go off into an alley with a stranger without extracting a pledge that they are not knowingly leading you into harm."
Annapurna says, "Any questions about other aspects of pledge theme before I move on?"
Annapurna says, "Alrighty. We'll move on to Types."
Annapurna says, "There are three types of pledges: Vows, Oaths, and Corporals"
Annapurna says, "The primary difference between them is where the power of the pledge will be invested."
Annapurna says, "In a Vow, they go straight into a Changeling's own tie to the Wyrd."
Annapurna says, "That's why you can only have Wyrd + 3 Vows at any given time."
Annapurna says, "Oaths, on the other hand, are sworn by Names."
Annapurna says, "I swear by the holy power of Hoodat the Almighty that..."
Annapurna says, "The power is invested in the name itself, not your Wyrd."
Annapurna says, "Corporals, as the name implies, are sworn on a corporeal object: something physical."
Annapurna says, "A symbol of a group/association you are a member of."
Annapurna says, "This could be your Court, your business, a club, a motley, etc."
Annapurna says, "The power of the pledge is invested in that."
Annapurna says, "Now, when I say 'invested' in this case, what that really -means- is that THAT is where the sanctions are going to focus."
Annapurna says, "Sanctions = Bad Stuff that happens if you break the pledge."
Annapurna says, "If you break a Vow, it's personal, your Wyrd, so it's all fairly direct and simple. The Bad Stuff happens to you."
Annapurna says, "Oaths, however, are a bit more complicated."
Annapurna says, "Corporals, too."
Annapurna says, "The effects of breaking them are not pretty."
Annapurna says, "In greater detail... I'll begin with Oaths."
Annapurna says, "You can swear an Oath by four things:
True Name, Obscured
True Name, Unsullied
The Name of the Keeper
The Name of a Higher Power"
Annapurna says, "Now, this is where some of the theme comes in. True Names are your mortal names, your birth names."
Annapurna says, "A lot of Changelings deliberately change their name, or take a new one, when they leave Arcadia, because your True Name has power."
Annapurna says, "However... what if you have a Fetch?"
Annapurna says, "It was created to BE you."
Annapurna says, "Doesn't IT have a claim to your True Name, too?"
Annapurna says, "Hence True Name, Obscured."
Annapurna says, "For the most part, an Oath pledge operates exactly the same as any other."
Annapurna says, "If you behave, you get good stuff. If you break it, you get bad stuff."
Annapurna says, "Oaths all include an additional penalty, levied by the Wyrd itself."
Annapurna says, "In this case, the 'True Name, Obscured', if you break a pledge sworn on your True Name while a pledge still has it, YOU are seen as unworthy of that name in the eyes of the Wyrd."
Annapurna says, "Yes, that. While a fetch still has it."
Annapurna says, "Please don't use OOC -- the logger won't catch it. Use say."
Annapurna says, "Ahem."
Annapurna says, "Yadda yadda you are unworthy."
Annapurna says, "It shifts the balance of power a bit, between you and the fetch."
Annapurna says, "It has a higher claim to the name than you do."
Annapurna says, "Consequently, the next time you meet your Fetch, you are not going to have a happy time of it."
Annapurna says, "And the fetch knows it."
Annapurna says, "You lose all resistance to the fetch's magic (Echoes)."
Annapurna says, "You have 0 Defense against its attacks."
Annapurna says, "You take a -Wyrd dice pool penalty to ALL ROLLS."
Annapurna says, "This lasts for an entire scene."
Annapurna says, "Which prooobably means that if you had planned to be all big and bad and murder your fetch and take back your life.... yeeeeaah no."
Annapurna says, "So don't break Oaths sworn on your True Name Obscured. ;)"
Annapurna says, "Any questions about the Obscured name?"
Annapurna says, "This one may well come up more often, here, since we are allowing PC Fetches."
Misty wonders, I guess, why you'd -ever- make one on it, if mechanically they're all kind of similar?
Annapurna says, "You almost never go into a pledge intending to break it."
Misty says, "Sure, I just mean that particular one carries harsher penalties... is there any upside?"
Annapurna says, "The upside of swearing Oaths is that you aren't using up a Vow slot, from a game mechanic twinkery perspective."
Annapurna says, "From an IC perspective, it can depend on the person."
Annapurna says, "Maybe you are all about honour."
Misty nods. I was just wondering if they functioned differently in other ways, I guess.
Annapurna says, "Maybe you're in a situation where someone demands you swear on your True Name, because anyone who knows anything about pledges, ICly, knows that breaking an oath sworn on your True Name is VERY VERY BAD."
Annapurna says, "Very. SO very."
Misty nods. I can see it that way!
Annapurna says, "It's up to you whether your character knows all of these details, too."
Annapurna says, "Maybe you've just heard vague 'Oh, shit, I used to know this guy who broke a pledge on his True Name. It was awful.'"
Annapurna says, "Howeeever..."
Annapurna says, "Segue here: breaking an Oath sworn on your True Name, Unsullied, is worse."
Annapurna says, "Much worse."
Annapurna says, "Because that name is yours."
Annapurna says, "No one else has a claim to it (somehow, mysteriously, John Smith and Jane Doe are unique names in the eyes of the Wyrd which White Wolf never discusses)."
Annapurna says, "Now, I mentioned above that someone might demand you swear on your True Name as a threat."
Annapurna says, "It's also a matter of personal honour."
Annapurna says, "Respect."
Annapurna says, "Trust."
Annapurna says, "And remember, Changelings don't do trust easily."
Annapurna says, "Socially, an oathbreaker is a non-entity. They are dangerous, and dangerous to know, and may very well be kicked out of groups if people learn what they have done."
Annapurna says, "Consequently, as an aside, when a Changeling wants out of a pledge early, that is why they try to arrange is so the OTHER party breaks the thing. ;)"
Annapurna says, "Especially if the other party is just a human."
Annapurna says, "To be very clear, the Unsullied True Name assumes you have no Fetch."
Annapurna says, "It doesn't matter if you never had one at all, or if your Fetch died while you were in Arcadia, or if your Fetch died of 'mysterious circumstances' at the hands of your local Duchess of Truth and Loss."
Annapurna says, "Wyrd is fate."
Annapurna says, "Your True Name is bound up tightly in your Wyrd, your fate."
Annapurna says, "If you break an Oath on your True Name, ALL PLEDGES bound on your Wyrd (i.e. Vows) are immediately broken, and you suffer EVERY SANCTION AT ONCE, as if you had voluntarily broken every single one of them."
Annapurna says, "For the full duration of the broken pledges."
Annapurna says, "Sucks to be you, if you were pledged to the Freehold. That's a death pledge."
Annapurna says, "Sucks worse to be you, too, because EVERY PERSON you were pledged to knows."
Annapurna says, "The instant you break it, the instant your pledges all snap, and your pledgemates FEEL them snap, they know that YOU are the one who broke an Oath on your True Name."
Annapurna says, "Which means you're a pretty damn faithless liar."
Annapurna says, "Thematically, this is one of the worst things you could possibly do."
Annapurna says, "Any questions about Oaths sworn on your Unsullied True Name?"
Annapurna says, "Alrighty. Moving on to what is arguably one of the most dangerous types of pledges you can make: The Name of the Keeper."
Annapurna says, "It is also a type of pledge you may have been forced to swear while you were in Arcadia, and is one of the most common ways for you to learn the Title of your Keeper, which amounts to its Name."
Annapurna says, "The social stigma here is less on faithlessness and more on HOLY POOP are you INSANE??"
Annapurna says, "Because..."
Annapurna says, "If you break an oath sworn on the Name of your Keeper, the violation IMMEDIATELY alerts your former master to your precise whereabouts."
Annapurna says, "Additionally, at any time of the Keeper's choosing within the next full year and a day (no matter how long the Bad Stuff would ordinarily have been), the Keeper may claim its rights, and gain a dice bonus equal to your Wyrd to ALL rolls related to finding you and bringing you 'home' to their tender mercies."
Annapurna says, "If you happen to be in the heart of, say, the Freehold Hollow at the time, and you're a Wyrd 8 Changeling... gee, shucks, that's a nice whopping +8 you just gave that True Fae to get past the Wards of the Hollow, AFTER leading them like some great shiny beacon straight to the Looptrod... and EVERY other Changeling they can find on this nice new path they've stumbled into."
Annapurna says, "Swearing on the Name of your Keeper is one of those things that people whisper about in corners, shocked/horrified."
Annapurna says, "You just don't do it."
Annapurna says, "It's not only a danger to you, but to EVERYone around you when that Keeper comes calling."
Annapurna says, "After all, there's nothing saying they have to snatch you up themselves. They can leave behind some nice little Loyalists to spy on you, to pry into your lovely new life in the mortal world, and slowly, inexorably, tear it all apart, piece by piece by piece."
Annapurna says, "Lots of new humans to bring through the Hedge. Lots of friends who might come calling when you screamed for help."
Annapurna says, "So."
Annapurna says, "The Name of the Keeper: arguably the most dangerous, and least sanely used, form of an Oath pledge."
Annapurna says, "Any questions before I move on?"
Annapurna says, "Alrighty. Moving on to The Name of a Higher Power."
Annapurna says, "This one is more of a grey area, and can technically be used more than once, if you acknowledge multiple Higher Powers."
Annapurna says, "If you believe in the Christian/Catholic/etc. capital G God, you could swear on him."
Annapurna says, "If you also believe in the Flying Spaghetti Monster, you could swear on it."
Annapurna says, "If you believe in Honour as a virtue to uphold above all other things, you could swear on your Honour."
Annapurna says, "The penalties for breaking an Oath sworn on a Higher Power are much more personal, and potentially permanently damaging."
Annapurna says, "After all, you've just betrayed that Higher Power."
Annapurna says, "Emotionally, you're flooded with immediate despair. Mechanically, you lose EVERY single Willpower point you had (which incurs the usual listlessness/dull/mental weariness/lack of concentration of having no Willpower left), and additionally, next time you roll to avoid losing Clarity, you take a -1 penalty."
Annapurna says, "This one IS more personal, so the reaction ultimately depends on your character, beyond the mechanics."
Annapurna says, "How devout are you? How deeply do you believe in/uphold the principle you just betrayed?"
Annapurna says, "Will you be depressed? Suicidal?"
Annapurna says, "Up to you."
Annapurna says, "Should still be RPed out, of course, regardless of the effects."
Annapurna says, "Any questions before I move on to Corporal Pledges?"
Annapurna says, "Alrighty."
Annapurna says, "To refresh your memory, Corporals are pledges sworn on something physical."
Annapurna says, "A symbol of a group you belong to, or, in one case, a particular person."
Annapurna says, "The types of Corporals are as follows:
Mortal
Seeming
Courtly
Title (Entitlement, not Keeper)
Nemesis
"
Annapurna says, "As with Oaths, you may only swear ONE pledge by any given Corporal. Howeeever..."
Annapurna says, "There are a LOT of mortal emblems out there."
Annapurna says, "You could swear by your wedding ring (representing your marriage). You could swear by a holy text (representing membership in a church). You could swear by your membership card to a gym (representing membership at the gym)."
Annapurna says, "Whatever physical object you swear by, it has to be representative of membership in some association/group which is wholly mortal in interest."
Annapurna says, "Your Goblin Fruit Book Club wouldn't count."
Annapurna says, "Your Public Library card would."
Annapurna says, "Just as with an Oath, on top of the regular Bad Stuff you swore would happen, the Wyrd levies an additional penalty when you break Corporals."
Tock (the town librarian) puts in a plug to promise on your library card to return your books on time!
Annapurna laughs.
Annapurna says, "When you break a Mortal Corporal, the Wyrd works to separate you from whatever you swore on."
Annapurna says, "Maybe people hear mysterious rumours about you and no longer want you to attend meetings."
Annapurna says, "Maybe your account is closed."
Annapurna says, "Maybe your land lord kicks you out of your apartment."
Annapurna says, "It all depends on what you swore on."
Annapurna says, "Additionally, no matter how high or how low your Clarity is, breaking this type of pledge is ALWAYS a Clarity break."
Annapurna says, "Also, worse, no matter how high your Resolve+Composure roll would ordinarily be, this roll is always made with 4 dice."
Annapurna says, "You take a -2 penalty on that roll if you broke the pledge as part of FAE life, sacrificing your mortal concerns to pursue Changeling ones."
Annapurna says, "Same for if you broke it while fulfilling a Vice."
Annapurna says, "However, if you broke it while fulfilling a Virtue, you gain +2, bringing the Clarity roll to 6 dice."
Annapurna says, "A Changeling's ties to the mortal world are what keep him sane."
Annapurna says, "They are what allow him to maintain his tenuous grasp on reality."
Annapurna says, "He was born in the mortal world, not Arcadia. His brain is wired for logic, not the bizarre intricacies of agreements and bindings which are all that hold Domains together."
Annapurna says, "Now, in terms of mechanics, here is where Mortal emblems get sneaky, and nasty."
Annapurna says, "Only ONE Mortal emblem may be sworn at a time, UNLESS you have merits such as Allies, Contacts, Resources or Status to reflect your investment in a group."
Annapurna says, "You may swear as many oaths as you have appropriate merits (or once per dot, in Contacts)."
Annapurna says, "So if you have Allies (City Council) and Allies (Harvard University) you could swear once on each of those."
Annapurna says, "Howeeeever...."
Annapurna says, "If you break the oath, you not only take the Clarity-break roll, but also lose the merit (or dot, in the case of Contacts) entirely."
Annapurna says, "Immediately."
Annapurna says, "Sanctity of Merits is a thing, so you can reallocate that dot somewhere else, but you aren't going to be getting it back in what you lost. Not without considerable effort."
Annapurna says, "Any questions about Mortal emblems before I move on?"
Annapurna says, "Alrighty. Moving on to Seeming emblems."
Annapurna says, "This one is pretty simple."
Annapurna says, "You're basically swearing on some aspect of your faerie self."
Annapurna says, "Your Seeming is your overarching set of traits, and grows more pronounced the more tightly-bound you are with the Wyrd, etc. The usual."
Annapurna says, "Consequently, Changelings with Wyrd 1 can't swear by this pledge."
Annapurna says, "They're barely Changelings at all."
Annapurna says, "If you break a Seeming Corporal, you are effectively betraying your own tie to the Wyrd."
Annapurna says, "You immediately lose a dot in Wyrd, as a result."
Annapurna says, "If you spent a lot of xp on it, this is a case where there is no sanctity. You can't magically get a freebie dot to bump yourself back up in Wyrd."
Annapurna says, "Any questions about that before I move on?"
Annapurna says, "Alrighty. Moving on to Courtly emblems."
Annapurna says, "For these, it can be either a symbol of YOUR Court, or of your Goodwill with some other Court."
Annapurna says, "If you're a Dawn, maybe you have a pendant with a sunrise on it, and swear on that."
Annapurna says, "Or if you have Dawn Goodwill, you could use that pendant to represent it."
Annapurna says, "You may swear one pledge on each Courtly emblem, so having Goodwill in a lot of Courts means you can make a lot of pledges."
Annapurna says, "This one is more of a social penalty than the previous -- Seeming is more individual, since it's an overarching broad set of characteristics. Court, now, that's something you choose."
Moving a sleepy Max.
Annapurna says, "If you break a Courtly Corporal, depending on whether you swore on your Mantle or on your Goodwill, in addition to the Bad Stuff from breaking the pledge, you either lose half of your Mantle dots (round up) or lose ALL DOTS of Goodwill in the Court you swore on."
Annapurna says, "The Courts are connected to some facet of reality, be it a season or celestial body or the essence of transition."
Annapurna says, "Pissing that off isn't smart."
Annapurna says, "In addition to that, ALL MEMBERS of that particular Court will immediately know, upon meeting you, that you have broken faith with them."
Annapurna says, "Any questions on Courtly emblems before I move on?"
Max arrives from Temp RP Rooms.
Annapurna says, "Alrighty, moving on to Title emblems. Pledges sworn on your Entitlement."
Annapurna says, "Unlike the Mortal and Courtly versions, you may only ever have one Title pledge."
Annapurna says, "Since, you know, you may only ever belong to one Entitlement at a time."
Annapurna says, "Not every Changeling belongs to an Entitlement."
Annapurna says, "Point in fact, the majority don't."
Annapurna says, "Games like this distort that, since players usually want the fancy perks from being in one."
Annapurna says, "Look at the word. Entitlement. You're Titled."
Annapurna says, "Titles are a mark of ability, of dedication, of competence."
Annapurna says, "Someone with an Entitlement is someone both other Titled heads and the average Joe Schmoe Changelings should respect."
Annapurna says, "As with a Court, you're part of a larger organisation of people, dedicated to a cause."
Annapurna says, "If you break a Title Corporal, if you break a pledge sworn on that brotherhood, you are betraying each and every one of them, and you are betraying the cause you joined them to uphold."
Annapurna says, "You are no longer worthy of holding the Title."
Annapurna says, "You immediately lose ALL benefits of your Entitlement. If you had a token, it won't be where you left it. If you used to look super duper fancy, you don't."
Annapurna says, "Additionally, each and every member of your Entitlement instantly knows that you are an oathbreaker and a betrayer."
Annapurna says, "Even if you've never met them before in your life, they know."
Annapurna says, "The loss of powers/Entitlement benefits isn't permanent."
Annapurna says, "If you devote yourself even further to Changeling pursuits, to fae studies, step even further apart from your mortal life enough to strengthen your tie to the Wyrd/separate yourself from mortal reality (i.e. gain a Wyrd dot), you regain your Entitlement benefits."
Annapurna says, "Buuut..."
Annapurna says, "People still know you are an oathbreaker, and you betrayed them all, staining their good name."
John arrives from Temp RP Rooms.
Annapurna says, "If there are multiple changelings from your Entitlement around, prepare for some rocky roads, RP-wise. ;)"
Annapurna says, "Any questions before I move on?"
Cobalt says, "I do, sort of."
Annapurna says, "Sure."
Cobalt says, "What if you broke a pledge before you were a changeling? does anything happen once you become one?"
Annapurna says, "Nah."
Cobalt nods. I didn't think so, but have been curious. Thanks.
Annapurna says, "When you go to Arcadia, all pledges are broken. Everything snaps."
Annapurna says, "No sanctions, nothing. You aren't who you were, so the pledge ceases to exist."
Cobalt says, "Interesting."
Annapurna says, "So if you were pledged with someone and just felt it .. dissolve..."
Annapurna says, "Weeelll."
Annapurna says, "Guess what happened?"
Cobalt says, "What? :)"
Annapurna says, "Oh, psychological rape, torture, dissolution of self. The usual. Arcadia is a happy, happy place."
Annapurna says, "Moving on to the final form of Corporal pledge now: Nemesis emblems."
Annapurna says, "People mix these up with Freehold pledges a lot."
Annapurna says, "To be very clear, a Freehold pledge is never a Nemesis pledge."
Annapurna says, "It has to do with the way Fealty/Vassalage work."
Annapurna says, "I'll talk about those shortly."
Annapurna says, "With a Nemesis pledge, you're essentially swearing on a symbol of another Changeling, binding them as your punisher -- your "nemesis" for the purposes of the pledge."
Annapurna says, "The would-be nemesis MUST agree to take on that role."
Annapurna says, "This is a rare case where unintentional/sneaky pledges WON'T work."
Annapurna says, "It's pretty simple."
Annapurna says, "Instead of just spending 1 WP when the pledge is made, one of you spends the Willpower point, and the Nemesis activates a Contract, using Glamour (not the Catch), and links that to the pledge."
Annapurna says, "If you break the pledge, you immediately suffer the effect of that power, and no matter what it is, you have zero resistance to it. It hits you full force, no matter what it is, and no matter how much damage it does. This goes with the Pishogue Sanction, which I'll discuss shortly."
Annapurna says, "If there were multiple people in the pledge, the nemesis immediately knows who broke it."
Annapurna says, "Other members will know that SOMEone broke it, but not who."
Annapurna says, "There is no limit to the number of nemesis pledges a Changeling may have with other people."
Annapurna says, "YOU, however, may only be the nemesis on one pledge at a time."
Annapurna says, "This is the last of the Types, pledge-wise."
Annapurna says, "Any questions before I move on to the nitty gritties of mechanics and making them work?"
Annapurna says, "A.k.a. the Anatomy of Pledges."
Annapurna says, "Alrighty. This is the part where most people end up with their eyes glazed over, because yes, pledges involve math."
Annapurna says, "Simple math, but math."
Annapurna says, "If you know how to add/subtract negative numbers, you're good."
Annapurna says, "So! Pledge anatomy."
Annapurna says, "All pledges have a certain set of characteristics. Four aspects."
Annapurna says, "Four types of aspects, that is."
Task: What are you agreeing to do?
Boon: What do you get out of it?
Sanction: What happens if you break your word?
Duration: How long does this agreement hold?
Annapurna ANSI fails.
Annapurna coughs.
Annapurna says, "I totally meant to put all that shiny emphasis on Sanctions. Yes. Entirely deliberate."
Annapurna says, "They are rated in three levels of power: lesser (1), medial (2) & greater (3)."
Annapurna says, "For sanity's sake, staff is limiting pledge values to +15/-15"
Annapurna says, "That will make more sense as we go on, and you see more of what I'm talking about."
Annapurna says, "There is nothing higher than a greater aspect (3).
- A lesser (1) + a lesser (1) = a medial (2)
- A lesser (1) + a medial (2) = a greater (3)
- A medial (2) + a medial (2) = a greater (3)"
Annapurna says, "THAT is what single-handedly causes the most confusion."
Annapurna says, "Since, uh, 2+2 does not normally = 3"
Annapurna says, "I'll start from the top."
Annapurna says, "So! Tasks."
Annapurna says, "Tasks are what you promise to do."
Annapurna says, "When you say Man, I would clean your toilet for a YEAR if you got me a date with your sister..."
Annapurna says, "Cleaning the toilet is the task."
Annapurna says, "A year (and a day) is the Duration."
Annapurna says, "Getting a date with the sister is the Boon."
Annapurna says, "Sanction in that case would be something generic."
Annapurna says, "Alliances and Endeavours are some of the most common types of Tasks."
Annapurna says, "Now, important note here: remember the +/- math?"
Annapurna says, "Benefits are +"
Annapurna says, "Effort/bad stuff is -"
Annapurna says, "So when doing pledge math...
Tasks: -
Boons: +
Sanctions: -
Duration: +
"
Annapurna also can't hard return, evidently.
Annapurna is doing well.
Annapurna eyes the clock. Only got an hour and fifteen minutes left until my pumpkin time, so I'll try to speed this up.
Annapurna says, "An Alliance is what it sounds like: you ally with somebody."
Annapurna says, "A Lesser Alliance is what you might swear with someone normally your enemy."
Annapurna says, "I promise to let you pass through my territory if you let me pass through yours."
Annapurna says, "You don't hinder each other."
Annapurna says, "There's no obligation to SUPPORT each other at all."
Annapurna says, "You just don't get in each other's way."
Annapurna says, "A Medial Alliance (-2) is when you're willing to put out some effort, willing to hurt people/be hurt for the person, even, but you're not about to die for them."
Annapurna says, "A Greater Alliance (-3) on the other hand is basically a pledge to aid the other even to the point of sacrificing your life for them/getting tortured for them. You would go back to Arcadia, to keep that Aliiance. You are closer to the person than you are to your own kin."
Annapurna says, "Endeavours, now, are more like the toilet/girlfriend example above."
Annapurna says, "They're an action."
Annapurna says, "You promise to DO something."
Annapurna says, "Per the examples on the wiki:
- Lesser (-1) - Things like carrying a package for someone or keeping a patch of flowers clean. Minimal effort. No danger.
- Medial (-2) - Keeping something safely hidden, carrying a package to another city/state. Moderate effort. Minor danger.
- Greater (-3) - Regular guard duty, epic/potentially deadly tasks, going to another country. Significant effort. Possibly significant danger.
"
Annapurna says, "Pretty simple."
Annapurna says, "And, since I neglected to earlier, tsk tsk to me, these are all of the available Tasks:
Alliance
Dreaming
Endeavour
Ensorcellment
Fealty
Forbiddance
"
Annapurna says, "Dreaming (-2) is a pledge to guard somebody's dreams."
Annapurna says, "It goes one way -- Joe might pledge to guard Sally, but Sally's under no obligation to guard JOe."
Annapurna says, "If Joe wants Sally in HIS dreams, too, Sally has to add Dreaming (-2) to her own list of Tasks."
Annapurna says, "Guarding Dreams is important, since the True Fae can influence them."
Annapurna says, "Poisoning dreams is a nasty trick."
Annapurna says, "Ensorcellment, now, that one is different."
Annapurna says, "Remember how with the Nemesis Corporal, the nemesis had to spend Glamour/use a Contract?"
Annapurna says, "The Changeling has to spend Glamour when Ensorcelling someone."
Annapurna says, "Basically, you are infusing the person with Glamour to enable them to see fae stuff."
Annapurna says, "Ensorcellement is a Task (-2) for the Changeling and a Boon (+2) for the mortal."
Annapurna says, "Except spelt correctly."
Annapurna says, "While there is no mechanical limit on how short/long an ensorcellment pledge can be, most Freeholds regard it along the lines of ghouling someone in Vampire: once you're part of the secret club, you leave in a body bag or with no memories."
Annapurna says, "That is the attitude of Fate's Harvest."
Annapurna says, "They take it very, very seriously."
Damion says, "The fairy mafia."
Annapurna says, "If people take it to an extreme, yep."
Annapurna says, "That, incidentally, is part of what the Waykeepers are for."
Annapurna says, "They are the social protectors of the Freehold."
Annapurna says, "Fealty, too, is an unusual Task."
Annapurna says, "Freehold pledges are all Fealty pledges."
Annapurna says, "It is a Greater (-3) task, and can only be sworn between an acknowledged Freehold leader and those who follow them."
Annapurna says, "Note: that does not mean the person needs to have a Crown."
Annapurna says, "Crowns will eventually start manifesting once enough members of a Court get together in one place, and end up with one person being the acknowledged leader of the Court."
Annapurna says, "They aren't random."
Annapurna says, "Now, this is why Freehold pledges can't be Nemesis pledges."
Annapurna says, "When the leader makes the pledge, they invest a Willpower DOT in it. Not a point. A DOT."
Annapurna says, "The power of the pledge is invested in that DOT of Willpower. This is how an infinite number of people can just walk up and join a Freehold pledge, even with minor wording variations."
Annapurna says, "Unlike a Nemesis pledge, where the power of the pledge is invested in a symbol of the nemesis."
Annapurna says, "Now, similar to Ensorcellment, the Fealty Task always includes a specific Boon/Sanction."
Annapurna says, "In this case, Vassalage and Banishment."
Annapurna says, "I'll discuss those shortly."
Annapurna says, "The final Task is called Forbiddance."
Annapurna says, "It's fairly self-explanatory."
Annapurna says, "Where an Endeavour is a promise TO do something, a Forbiddance is a promise NOT to do something."
Annapurna says, "Again, using examples on the wiki:
- Lesser (-1) - Don't eat something, don't say a certain name/phrase, don't go into X building. Easy stuff to avoid doing.
- Medial (-2) - Don't use the subway, never eat a category of food (beef, citrus), don't speak with a type of person (policemen). Harder to avoid doing.
- Greater (-3) - These are life-changing. Never touching fruit, an oath of silence, being banished from a city, etc."
Annapurna says, "Any questions about Tasks before I move on?"
Annapurna says, "Alrighty. Boons: the perks you get for keeping your word."
Annapurna says, "Boons come in the following types:
Adroitness
Blessing
Ensorcellment
Favour
Glamour
Vassalage
"
Annapurna says, "An Adroitness is like a super Specialty."
Annapurna says, "You pick a skill, and add +1 to it."
Annapurna says, "Each skill can only have one Adroitness on it."
Annapurna says, "With Specialties, you can only use them where they would apply. For example, if you had an Expression.Dance specialty, you couldn't then turn around and add that Dance bonus if you weren't dancing."
Annapurna says, "If you had an Expression Adroitness, however, that +1 would go on every single roll. Period."
Annapurna says, "Useful things."
Annapurna says, "Remember, skills only. You don't get them on attributes."
Damion says, "Very nice."
Annapurna says, "Yup."
Annapurna says, "Blessings, now, are why players of other games hate Changeling."
Annapurna says, "Blessings are merits."
Annapurna says, "FREE merits."
Damion says, "I thought they hated us cause we're prettier than them."
Annapurna says, "Important: there is a difference between the number of dots a Changeling can get out of these, vs. what a non-Changeling can."
Annapurna says, "Any Supernatural, really, but on this game it's just Changelings since we don't have any other PC Supers."
Lesser (+1)
- Mortals: A 1-2 dot merit or, if you already have the merit, increases an existing merit by 1 dot.
- Supernaturals: A 1-dot merit, or increases an existing merit by 1 dot.
Medial (+2)
- Mortals: A 3-4 dot merit or, if you already have the merit, increases an existing merit by 2 dots.
- Supernaturals: A 2-dot merit, or increases an existing merit by 2 dots.
Greater (+3)
- Mortals: A 5-dot merit or, if you already have the merit, increases an existing merit by 3 dots.
- Supernaturals: A 3-dot merit, or increases an existing merit by 3 dots.
Annapurna says, "So, putatively, if you wanted to become a Boxing master overnight, you could buy up 2 dots, then pledge for 3, which effectively makes you a 5-dot Boxer."
Annapurna says, "Another important note to remember: the merits MUST be mundane."
Damion SHOULD be a 5-dot Boxer... but didn't have that book when he chargened. >.> And apparently no switching.
Annapurna says, "No supernatural merit may be gained via a pledge."
Annapurna says, "You get sixty bajillion xp. Use it. ;)"
Damion already bought 5 dots of a brawling merit! But might eventually.
Annapurna says, "Also important to note: YOU DON'T NEED PREREQUISITES"
John says, "Yay!"
Max says, "What about Creation Only merits?"
Damion is glad you're logging this. Because he's probably going to remember like...none of it tomorrow.
Annapurna says, "There's an entire wiki page on Pledges."
Annapurna says, "I'll be putting it on the log page."
Annapurna says, "Yes, Max."
Annapurna says, "Even those."
John says, "Can you make pledges that give you dots in merits like Hollow or Allies or Contacts?"
Annapurna says, "Hollow no, because that's supernatural."
Annapurna says, "Allies/Contacts yes."
Annapurna says, "Because they are mundane."
John says, "OK, so no supernatural dots but everything else is kosher"
John says, "I missed the line about supernatural above."
Annapurna says, "You could be a twiggy little Strength 1 nobody with a limp noodle Stamina, pledge, and BAM, you're a Berserker."
Annapurna says, "It's worth noting that your prowess IS magical."
Annapurna says, "You don't know how you do what you do."
Annapurna says, "If someone asks you to teach them, you're going to draw a blank, because you don't KNOW."
Annapurna says, "You just do it."
Annapurna says, "It's just there when you need it."
Annapurna says, "Moving on to the next Boon, Ensorcellment, we already covered that."
Annapurna says, "Favours... self-explanatory. You promise to do a favour for someone."
Annapurna says, "Special to Favors, if you refuse to perform the Favor, you suffer a Curse sanction of the same degree of power. I.e. a +1 Favor results in a +1 Curse."
Annapurna says, "Glamour boons are one of the ways Changelings can guarantee getting a fix."
Annapurna says, "CtL p.181 has all the thematic details on it."
Annapurna says, "There are two different types: Immediate transfers, and Timed transfers."
Max says, "Not sure my question went through since my internet briefly went out... I was wondering about the Allies/Contacts, could they be of a supernatural nature? Like, Allies 2 Werewolves or something?"
Annapurna says, "No."
Annapurna says, "May end up with wiggle room on that one if Rainier is feeling benevolent, though, since she's handling that end of things."
Annapurna says, "With an Immediate Glamour boon, you transfer the full amount of Glamour at once."
Annapurna says, "Howeeever..."
Annapurna says, "That amount can be no higher than the LOWEST Wyrd rating involved in the pledge."
Annapurna says, "e.g. A Wyrd 1 changeling pledges to a Wyrd 7 changeling, which means the boon only grants 1 point of Glamour."
Annapurna says, "Alternately, you can have a slow over time delivery of tasty tasty Glamour."
Annapurna says, "You may specify an interval of time, no more than once a week, for Glamour to be 'delivered' to its recipient. Over the duration of the pledge, the sum total of delivered Glamour cannot exceed the HIGHEST Wyrd rating involved in the pledge."
Annapurna says, "In the example above with Wyrd 1 + Wyrd 7, if they make a Glamour pledge for a year and a day, with the Wyrd 1 changeling donating 1 Glamour a month, that will only cover 7 months of the year. Not really worth it."
Annapurna says, "Mortals can only give 1 Glamour per day this way."
Annapurna says, "The final form of Boon is Vassalage."
Annapurna says, "Remember, this goes with Fealty, which is only sworn when you are joining/creating a Freehold."
Annapurna says, "You are your liege lord's vassal."
Annapurna says, "Vassals are minions/servants/helpers."
Annapurna says, "But! They are also people to whom the lord owes protection and care."
Annapurna says, "That's the way it works. You serve and help the lord, the lord serves and protects you."
Annapurna says, "In Changeling terms, the Monarch does a lot of work, and in return, you get a unique blessing while you're within the Freehold's borders."
Annapurna says, "In our case, all Glamour harvesting rolls get a +1"
Annapurna says, "It is worth noting, and very important to note, that this unique blessing only appears for a Freehold when the Freehold's leaders uphold the cyclical exchange of power."
Annapurna says, "If, say, one season refuses to willingly relinquish the Crown, the blessing will immediately cease."
Annapurna says, "It's part of Vassalage, and what the Crown owes you per the Fealty task."
Annapurna says, "People will get mighty pissed off if the Crown screws them over."
Annapurna says, "Any questions before we move on to Sanctions?"
Annapurna says, "Trying to hurry along, so I can fit all of this into the next half hour."
Eden had one.
Annapurna says, "Sure. :)"
Eden says, "Does Adroitness stack with specialties? Or does it supercede them?"
Annapurna says, "Stacks."
Eden k. That's what I thought, just wanted to make sure!
Damion hmms. Doesn't the Freehold Pledge give some Adroitnesses?
Annapurna says, "Even if you're using GMC fanciness and stacking specialties already and have +1+1+1, the adroitness gives you another +1."
Annapurna says, "Those are a boon for Fate's Harvest's pledge, yes."
Damion says, "Three, right?"
Annapurna says, "Yes. They're up on the wiki."
Annapurna says, "I'll move along to Sanctions now."
Annapurna says, "Sanctions are the Bad Stuff."
Annapurna says, "Sanctions are what happen when you break a pledge."
Annapurna says, "Now... Sanctions are also unfair."
Annapurna says, "In MOST cases, a sanction must be included in the wording of the pledge itself."
Annapurna says, "For a year and a day, I promise to do this for you if you promise to do that, and if we prove false, may <bad stuff> happen to us."
Annapurna says, "Howeeever.."
Annapurna says, "Remember, changelings are sneaky tricksy bastards."
Annapurna says, "With mortals?"
Annapurna says, "You don't need that."
Annapurna says, "If a pledge is made with a mortal, a specific sanction is unnecessary; the changeling making the pledge may say there will be Bad Stuff, and at the time the mortal breaks the pledge, the changeling may THEN announce what they decide the Bad Stuff is."
Annapurna says, "Additionally, while changelings are (typically) only going to suffer from a broken pledge's sanction for the duration of the pledge itself, when a mortal breaks a pledge, the changeling involved may choose to spend 1 Willpower at the end of the duration to continue the empowerment of the punishment."
Annapurna says, "The book doesn't limit that."
Annapurna says, "Since we're dealing with a MU* full of players, though, staff is limiting it to three times the duration of the pledge."
Annapurna says, "So if you pledged for a month and broke it, the pissed off Changeling you broke your promise to could make you suffer for three months straight instead of just one."
Annapurna says, "That kind of pledge counts as a Vow."
Annapurna says, "Now, remember how Oaths and Corporals came with built-in Bad Stuff?"
Annapurna says, "They're an exception to the Everything Needs A Sanction Written In The Text rule."
Annapurna says, "You don't need to write in Sanctions for them."
Annapurna says, "The types of Sanctions are as follows:
Banishment
Curse
Death
Flaw
Pishogue
Poisoning of the Boon
Vulnerability
"
Annapurna says, "Banishment (-3) is the third in the little Freehold pledge trifecta."
Annapurna says, "Remember, every Freehold pledge, ever, anywhere, will have Fealty as a task, Vassalage as a boon and Banishment as a sanction."
Annapurna says, "Banishment is also dangerous, because you don't even need to break the pledge to have it called down on you."
Annapurna says, "All the Freehold leader has to do is announce that you are being banished in front of a quarter of his vassals."
Annapurna says, "Important: NO ONE ELSE KNOWS"
Annapurna says, "You'll feel the weight settle on you, you'll know you were banished, and the people in the room will know it, but NO OTHER MEMBER will be aware that you have been banished yet."
Annapurna says, "Yes, this means that someone could be secretly banished by a coterie of people close to the Crown. Yes, staff will quite wholeheartedly support such a thematic act."
Annapurna says, "However..."
Annapurna says, "This does, also, mean that even if you break your pledge, the freehold's Crown may choose NOT to reveal that to the rest of the freehold, whether out of compassion or a desire to blackmail you into compliance for the <duration> it is in effect."
Annapurna says, "Mind, the CROWN knows you broke your pledge."
Annapurna says, "...if you did it where they could see it."
Annapurna says, "Which is the kicker."
Annapurna says, "And the major vulnerability with Freehold pledges."
Annapurna says, "Unlike other pledges, unless you are caught in the act, nobody is aware of it."
Annapurna says, "Which goes into the whole Changelings are paranoid business, because they have reason."
Annapurna says, "Anyone who acts to harm the banished member within the freehold's borders gains 1 Glamour."
Annapurna says, "Anyone who kills the banished member within the borders gains an amount of Glamour equal to the oathbreaker's Wyrd."
Annapurna says, "So if you get yourself Banished, you'd better run, and fast, to avoid people hunting you down for a fix of tasty tasty Glamour."
Annapurna says, "Next type: Curses"
Annapurna says, "Which are awful."
Annapurna says, "Curses stack, too."
- Lesser (-1) - Use the /weak switch when +rolling. You no longer receive 10-agains for the duration of the sanction.
- Medial (-2) - You only succeed on 9 or 10. 8 is no longer counted as a success.
- Greater (-3) - You only succeed on 10. All failures are dramatic failures, unless you spend a point of Willpower to make it a simple failure instead.
Annapurna says, "So if you had a Lesser Curse (-1) sanction from breaking a pledge (and were consequently suffering from no-agains), and broke ANOTHER pledge with a Medial Curse (-2), you would immediately jump up to the equivalent of having broken a Greater Curse (-3) and only succeed if you rolled a 10, and dramatically fail etc. etc. per above."
Annapurna says, "Again, this is why people's brains glaze over."
Annapurna says, "Math."
Annapurna says, "Howeeeever..."
Annapurna says, "Seeming/Kith/Merit blessings can mitigate the curses' effects on rolls where they would normally apply."
- If you have 9-again, drop the curse's effects down one level.
- If you have 8-again, drop the curse's effects down two levels.
In such cases, you do NOT get 9-again/8-again on the roll, because that blessing is considered to be expended on mitigating the curse's effects.
Annapurna says, "Fairly straightforward."
Annapurna says, "The next Sanction is Death."
Annapurna says, "Sensibly, this is a Greater Sanction (-3)"
Damion says, "I think I can guess what that does."
Annapurna says, "Pay attention here: this IS the Sanction of the Freehold pledge."
Annapurna says, "Let's say I have a death pledge with you, Damion."
Annapurna says, "You break it."
Damion says, "I'm a rebel."
Annapurna says, "-I- immediately lose one DOT of Willpower (which I can buy back with 8xp). YOU suddenly feel a sense of doom."
Damion says, "Rebel without a pulse."
Annapurna says, "If you were a mortal, you would have a week to live."
Annapurna says, "Thankfully, we're both Changelings."
Annapurna says, "Unfortunately, I'm only a Wyrd 1 Changeling."
Annapurna says, "Which means you only have one day to live."
Annapurna says, "Sooorrry."
Annapurna says, "To be clearer:
- You live a week, if you were pledged to a mortal.
- You live a number of days equal to the Wyrd score of the person you pledged with.
"
Annapurna says, "If you can beg prettily and get me to forgive you, genuinely and without coercion, the sanction disappears and I get my Willpower dot back."
Annapurna says, "And you are no longer going to die tomorrow."
Annapurna says, "Again, I repeat, the Freehold pledge IS a Death pledge."
Annapurna says, "Even if you are Banished and escape, you will die."
Annapurna says, "Period."
Annapurna says, "Unless you can get the Crown to forgive you within Crown-Wyrd days."
Damion fistshake.
Damion says, "What if it's the Crown that breaks the pledge?"
Annapurna says, "Then the Crown dies."
Annapurna says, "Moving on, Flaws are the next sanction."
Annapurna says, "It's a Medial (-2)."
Annapurna says, "They are PERMANENT, too."
Annapurna says, "They don't disappear at the end of the broken pledge's duration."
Annapurna says, "If you got the Flaw - Mute, you would be permanently mute."
Damion says, "Other than Death, that sounds harshest."
Annapurna says, "This curse is either decided on beforehand or left to the Wyrd (i.e. ST) to inflict. If the Wyrd inflicts it, the Flaw is appropriate to the pledge broken. i.e. breaking a secret pledge may render you Mute."
Annapurna says, "Yep, it's nasty."
Annapurna says, "Pishogue, now."
Annapurna says, "Remember the Nemesis again?"
Annapurna says, "I mentioned Pishogue there."
Damion um. Sure..
Annapurna says, "It's using Contracts as punishment."
- Lesser (-1) - a 1-2 dot Contract; a minor inconvenience and a slap on the wrist.
- Medial (-2) - a 3-4 dot Contract, or, two lesser pishogue sanctions. This is getting more serious.
- Greater (-3) - a 5-dot Contract, or: three lesser, one lesser and one medial, two medial.
Annapurna says, "You may NOT use the Catch."
Annapurna says, "You must involve at least 1 Glamour for each Contract you use, and if you are combining two Lesser Pishogues to make one Medial, you still have to pay for each clause individually."
Annapurna says, "The next type is Poisoning the Boon."
Annapurna says, "This one is fairly braod."
Annapurna says, "broad*"
Annapurna says, "You can poison Adroitness, Blessing, Ensorcellment, Favour, Glamour."
Annapurna says, "For Adroitnesses, the +1 turns into a -1."
Annapurna says, "For Blessings, not only do you lose the magic merit dots, but your real merit dots drop by a similar amount."
Annapurna says, "If you had Resources 3, for example, and broke a pledge which had given you an extra 2 dots in it, your real Resources would drop to 1 for the duration of the broken pledge."
Annapurna says, "Poisoned Ensorcellment is awful."
Annapurna says, "All of the Changelings you see are sanity-shattering horrors."
Annapurna says, "Even the most innocent bunny rabbit mien will seem like a terrifying monster."
Annapurna says, "Every week, roll Resolve + Composure at a cumulative -1 penalty per week you've already suffered the sanction."
Damion says, "Nasty."
Annapurna says, "If you've suffered it for a month, you'd be rolling at a -4 or -5, depending on how many weeks that was."
Annapurna says, "If you fail, you get slapped with a derangement. You can't roll to avoid that."
Annapurna says, "Also, any time you see anything fae, you have to roll Res+Comp with the penalty above."
Annapurna says, "If you fail, you basically collapse into a gibbering terrified heap or blindly run away."
Annapurna says, "Whichever makes most sense with your character."
Annapurna eyes the clock. Well, phoo. We're so close to the end... ahhh I'll lose a little sleep. Have to be up in five hours.
Annapurna can sleep in the car. She isn't the one driving.
Annapurna says, "Poisoned Favours reverse the position of debtor and owed. If you were owed a favor, now you owe THEM a favor. This unspecified favor is collectible at any time they choose."
Annapurna says, "With poisoned Glamour boons, between fae, the deal is reversed: if your pledgemate was giving YOU Glamour, now you give THEM that amount. If the pledge was between you and a mortal, you instead lose a point of Glamour any time the pledge would ordinarily have given you one."
Annapurna says, "The final type of Sanction is called Vulnerability."
Annapurna says, "Note: Freehold oaths DO NOT prevent people from hurting you if you have broken a Vulnerability pledge with them."
Annapurna says, "Even if your particular Freehold had rules against injuring other Freeholders."
Annapurna says, "Ours doesn't."
Annapurna says, "Killing, yes."
Annapurna says, "A little beating up, no."
Annapurna says, "There are two types of Vulnerability Sanction: Glamour and Violence"
Annapurna says, "Both are a Medial (-2)."
Annapurna says, "You choose one or the other"
Annapurna says, "Or choose both at once, which makes it a Greater (-3) since 2+2=3 in Pledge Math(tm)."
Annapurna says, "In the case of Glamour, you can't defend yourself against any supernatural powers they use on you."
Annapurna says, "Lose your ability to resist (i.e. no opposed rolls) suffering the effects of any Contracts/other Wyrd-based powers the offended party uses on you. Additionally, your Defense is considered 0 for purposes of being targeted by Contracts/Wyrd-based abilities, but not against normal physical attacks."
Annapurna says, "Violence means that no matter what you do, no matter which fancy supernatural powers you could ordinarily use, you have 0 Defense against the offended party's physical attacks."
Annapurna says, "You can still resist normally for Contracts, in that case, as long as they don't impinge upon physical Defense."
Annapurna says, "Phew. That's all the Sanctions!"
Annapurna says, "Durations are pretty self-explanatory. All pledges have a time limit."
Annapurna says, "If you break the pledge, you suffer the sanction(s) for that time limit."
Annapurna says, "Let's say Misty and I had a year-and-a-day pledge."
Misty meep.
Annapurna says, "I don't really like it, but I've been good."
Annapurna says, "But..."
Annapurna says, "I really like pancakes."
Annapurna says, "On the very last day of the pledge, I break the forbiddance against eating pancakes."
Annapurna says, "BAM!"
Annapurna says, "Sanction."
Annapurna says, "... for an entire year and a day."
Annapurna says, "Not one day."
Annapurna says, "You get socked with the sanctions for the ENTIRE duration of the pledge."
Annapurna says, "All for eating a pancake a day before it would have ended. :("
Damion says, "Harsh."
Annapurna says, "Yep!"
Annapurna says, "An eye for an eye."
Annapurna says, "Changeling is very Old Testament."
Tock sadly notes that not even deliciously authentic Vermont maple syrup can mitigate such pancake-related doom. :(
- Day - Lesser (+1) - 24 hours
- Week - Lesser (+1) - 7 days to the hour
- Moon - Medial (+2) - 28 days (a single lunar month)
- Season - Medial (+2) - 89 days, typically performed at a solstice/equinox. In Freeholds with seasonal rulers, oaths of fealty are typically made per season.
- Year and a Day - Greater (+3) - 366 days
- Decade - Greater (+3) - 10 years and 10 days
- Lifelong - Greater (+3) - Until the death of one of the oathbound
- Generational - Greater (+3) - Until the death of the oathbound. The responsibility passes on to the next generation, with any children of the oathtakers required to fulfill it themselves. The 'children' may be designated heirs acknowledged before the ruler of the freehold. Requires the expenditure of a DOT of Willpower in addition to any other invocation expenditures. Both parties must be in agreement. Lasts a number of generations equal to the Wyrd of the oathtaker who spend the Willpower.
True Fae may bind pledges for all eternity, but this is not an ability changelings possess.
Annapurna says, "And that is the overview of all of the PARTS of a pledge."
Annapurna says, "Now... how do you put those together?"
Annapurna says, "This is where the math comes in."
Annapurna says, "http://fatesharvest.com/w/Pledges#Example"
Annapurna says, "If everyone will turn their eyeballs to that example, pretty please..."
Annapurna says, "That is what a pledge looks like, fully written out."
Annapurna says, "Each participant's numbers have to equal 0."
Annapurna says, "However..."
Annapurna says, "One person could have +5/-5, and another person could have +8/-8"
Annapurna says, "In the same pledge."
Annapurna says, "All depends on which blessings/sanctions/tasks they choose."
Annapurna says, "Duration is the same for all parties."
Annapurna says, "Let's look at Jill's numbers."
Annapurna says, "In the Tasks, you can see that I have it separated into All, Jack, and Jill."
Annapurna says, "Both Jack AND Jill do the 'all' task."
Annapurna says, "So that's -2, and Jill is also doing another -2."
Annapurna says, "So Jill is at -4 so far."
Annapurna says, "In the Boons, both of them get +2 for the Blessing."
Annapurna says, "Jill chose to get a +1 blessing on her own, plus a +1 adroitness."
Annapurna says, "Bringing her to +4 in boons."
Annapurna says, "-4/+4"
Annapurna says, "They want the pledge to last a season, so that's +2"
Annapurna says, "Which means they need -2 in Sanctions."
Annapurna says, "Et voila, pledge math is correct and complete."
Annapurna says, "The wording on pledges can be as formal or informal as the parties prefer."
Annapurna says, "Being a good pledgesmith with a fine understanding of nuance and expression and word-lawyering is a very valued skill in Freeholds."
Annapurna says, "So! That is what a pledge is, and does, and looks like."
Damion is not going to be a pledgesmith.
Annapurna laughs.
Annapurna says, "Any questions?"
Damion says, "Where do baby Changelings come from?"
Max says, "I had one!"
Annapurna says, "Baby humans, of course."
Annapurna says, "Sure, Max."
Tock claps and cheers for the sheer volume of info as well as the info-density in this review.
Annapurna says, "Given that it has taken me four hours to write it all out... yes. There are reasons players who have never played in Changeling before end up quitting early."
Annapurna says, "It's not a simple game."
Max says, "It might have been answered but I had to run AFK for awhile. Anyways, the way that Changelings can pledge to other things to get more than Wyrd + 3 pledges, can mortals have that same benefit?"
Annapurna says, "Yep. The Wyrd + 3 thing only relates to Vows."
Annapurna says, "If the pledge is an Oath/Corporal on the Changeling's part, it doesn't count under that limit."
Annapurna says, "Which is why people use them, in a lot of cases. Being a Changeling is a giant balancing act of obligations."
Annapurna says, "I promised to deliver shoes to Suzie Q on Tuesdays, but now Dennis wants me to go dancing with him every third day, and Miranda wants me to deliver rabbits to people this week, and.."
Max says, "Fabulous, thank you. I'll remember to write down that it's Vows."
Annapurna says, "Yep yep. Mortals have 0 Wyrd, so 0 + 3 = 3 Vows."
Annapurna says, "Any other questions floating around?"
Eden and Sarah and Tock have submitted a Motley Pledge. (Thanks to Eden's being all organized and generally awesome.) What is the process and timetable for Motley-creation from the point a PLEDG category +job is sent in?
Annapurna says, "Depends on a lot of factors, but that's not really what the tutorial tonight is about."
Annapurna says, "Pledges in general are behind right now, since we were trying to tweak the code, but the original coder was evil and wrote it in a very difficult-to-tweak format. We're giving up on the tweaking, so folks can expect to see queries popping up for what they want their Freehold Adroitnesses to be, etc., any day now."
Misty offers services for cookies.
Annapurna says, "Funeral services? After they go into your tummy?"
Misty says, "... maybe."
Annapurna says, "C is for Cookie, and corpse."
Annapurna says, "Any other questions about pledge mechanics before I close out the log? :)"
Damion says, "Newp."
Damion says, "Thanks, Anna."
Annapurna says, "In that case, I call this tutorial complete! You can see all of the mechanics I mentioned on the Pledges page, which references page numbers for your edification."
Annapurna says, "http://fatesharvest.com/w/Pledges"
Tock seconds. "Tons of info in a short time: kudos!"
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