User:Spazalicious Chaos/The Book of Splendid Performance (3.5e Sourcebook)/Fate

Fate
The begining and the end, the fetters of time and smypathy, the cosmic stream upon which all creation drifts, Fate can be a very real and powerful force in a narrative game.

Ties That Bind
It is a well known fact that every action has consequences, often in the form of a reaction or effect on the world. What stories (or at least well written ones) present are heavily interconnected courses of action, reaction and consequence. While possible woth game mechanics to enforce such a story, sometimes you have a player that just needs to be shown that what he does means something... or else the error of his ways.

The following mechanics work best if the world you run it made of strings of story, where everyone and everything is part of the great ball of yarn that is the world and various strings connnect, intertwine or even braid into one another. Thus, actions taken by individuals either join, separate or severe the story strings of those around them, even the places they visit.

Attracting Fate
Every thing important to the story has a Fate score, that can run from 0 (extras that are just background) to 5 (main character, whether antagonist or protagonist). These Fate scores are by nature subjective, but the nature of Fate in a narrative game also means that only Fate as it relates to the players is important, to the point that all but the most detailed of side stories can ignore Fate.

Players automatically have a Fate of 5, unless one or more players ellect to be only supporting cast (prehaps one of your players can only make it to every other game, etc.) The GM may also assign starting Fate scores to NPCs that are important to the plot. From there on in, everyone, the GM included, is a pawn in Fate.

Actions taken or bits of chance can increase a Fate score by 1 per occurance, as follows:
 * Rolling a natural 1 or 20, affecting the most direct targets and/or objets of the check.
 * Taking an action that improves or degrades a trait permenantly in another, or else pervents such a trait from improving or degrading, affecting both the originator of the effect, the place where it occured, any tools used and the target.
 * Killing one bound by Fate within sight of other Fate bound, affecting the victim, the tools/weapons used, the area it occured in and all such who witness the act.
 * Ressurecting one bound by Fate within sight of other Fate bound, affecting the ressurected, the tools used, the area it occured in and all such who witness the act.
 * Swearing an oath, affecting all who swear the oath as well as any relevant subjects of the oath.
 * Whenever a Plot Point is used to directly interfere or aid a subject, applied to the subject and the area it took place.

Also, association with a Fated creature can infect others with a Fate score. Creatures directly related to the subject (immediate family, cohorts/close friends, directly supporting officers or nobles, etc.) have a Fate score one less than the Fate of the main target. Their immediates also have a Fate score of one less, and so on. For example, if a Major in the military has Fate 5, then his Sergeant Major and Captains will have Fate 4, the captains Lt. will have Fate 3, their sergeants will have Fate 2, and the privates will have Fate 1, leaving the soldiers families unimportant at Fate 0.

Regardless of actions or chance, Fate can never be raised above 5. In addition, no one scene can ever reward any given item with more than one Fate. For example, a Vampire drains a farmer of all his blood in front of his family, then swears an oath that he will return to kill the daughter. Despite it fulfilling all the conditions for Peremenant Drain of an Ability, Killing One Bound By Fate (for arguments sake) and Swearing an Oath, only one Fate will be awarded to the Vampire, the father, the family (especially the daughter) and the farm.

Fate Binding
Fate has two qualities- Strength and Type. Strength is a messure of how powerfully Fate will pull on a given feature. The more powerful the pull, the more important to the story the item in question is but also the more likely they will be drawn into the folds of the story. Type is how the Fated will be presented in the story, and influences how, where and when it will manifest.

Strength is the messured score of Fate, and has direct effects on the individual or lace as follows:

Creature/Person
 * 0- Creatures with no Fate can filter in and out of the story as they please. However, their defeat yields no experience.
 * 1- While these creatures are not much more important than the extras of Fate 0, they are still obstacles, background sources of aid and comfort, etc. Their defeat yields 20% of the experience for deafeat of a creature of their level or CR.
 * 2- These characters are consistent background characters. They have names, they often remember the heros, and they reappear time and time again, though not at random. Chances of running into this character in it's native area is 100% when sought, but only 20% otherwise. Defeat yeilds 40% of the experience of a creture of their level or CR.
 * 3- For lack of a better term, these are chronic recurring background characters. Event will conspire to place them in the path of the heros, enforcing a 75% chance of this character appearing whenever an random encounter is imminent in it's native area. This bumps to 95% in a Fate bound area. Defeat of these characters yeilds 60% of the experience of a creature of it's level or CR.
 * 4- These are vital support characters. While not main heros or villains, their actions and obstacles must be bypassed and their aid is essential to the point of fatal if ignored or refused. Cohorts, family and most bosses fall into this categroy. Without the expenditure of Plot Points, confrontation with these characters or their involvement in the players story is inevitable. Defeat of such character yields 80% of the experience award granted by such a creature of its level or CR.
 * 5- These are the main characters, the villains and heros. If Plot Points are used, these creatures have Fiat. These creatures can also intiate Narratives. Their defeat yeilds 100% experience awards for a creature of their level or CR.

Not all characters must be defeated. Gaining a creature as an ally also yeilds experience equal to half it's defeat award. Losing to such a creature can also be a learning experience, yeilding experience equal to (% usually yeilded-60%) experience, at a minimum award of 0.

Place/Object
 * 0- These places are unimportant and rarely visited ever again, being little more than background fodder. Objects are consequently ignored.
 * 1- These places were the scene for a single act significant to the story. Chances are low that such a place will draw lost characters to it (5%) or that similar events will be repeated there, but it can always be found if sought out. Objects are not special or have any properties, but have a 10% chance of appearing in the same role in a similar scene.
 * 2- These places have featured prominently but not oppressively in the story, either as a regularly used area (taverns, roads, etc.) or a favored place for events (arenas, battlefields, etc.). These places can always be found if sought out, and lost characters have a 20% chances of finding it while wandering around the area. Objects with this level of fate have played a strong role in the story, and are treated as masterwork.
 * 3- These places were the local of pivitol scenes and powerful events. These places have a 50% chance of drawing a lost character to it, as well as a 10% chance that characters will encounter it en route to another place. Objects with this level of Fate were key tools in the story thus far. A Plot Point can be spent to cause it to become a minor magic item befiting it's role and uses. Otherwise it is counted as masterwork.
 * 4- These places were the local of scenes and events that have transformed the characters lives. These places have a 75% chance of drawing a lost character to it, as well as a 20% chance that characters will encounter it en route to another place. Objects with this level of Fate were pivitol tools in the story thus far. A Plot Point can be spent to cause it to become a medium magic item befiting it's role and uses. Otherwise it is counted as masterwork.
 * 5- The involvement of these places or objects in the story is inevitable. There is no chance that these locations will not draw nearby lost characters or will not have to be encountered or bypassed, as events will warp around this place. Similarly, objects will appear when they are most needed... or when they will do the most harm. Again, their involvement is inevitable. A Plot Point may be spent on such an object to tranform it into a fitting major magic item. Otherwise the object is a minor magic item when used by Fated creatures, or else masterwork is used by the unfated.

Fate Roles
Fate Binding Type is how a particular Fate Bound interacts with the story. Types are divided by the kind of thing bound (creature, place or object) and what Role it has. Roles have a few minor effects on the game stats of a the Fate Bound, but for the most part the Fate Binding is a story effect.

Creature Roles
These Roles are for Fated creatures, ie entities that can take active part in the world around them, though Fate itself leaves serious question over whether they have command of their own destiny or not. Each creature may have only one Role per story.
 * Hero- This is a player character. As such, all Heros have an individual story teller to determine their actions, who in turn has his own Plot Points or can initiate a Narrative. The Hero is the focus of the story, not necessarily the good guy. Thus, it is equally possible for a pacifist paladin, a genocidal wizard, a cowardly king or a king of beggars to be a Hero. The only defining characteristic is that the Hero is the focus. Player Notes- the Hero is you. Don't fuck it up! Also, you have an edge- Fiat is yours to bear, so go forth and be heroic!
 * Villain- The villain is the main antagonist of the story, and works in direst opposition to Heros. Nearly anything can become villainous, from the meager cat that hates you to the paladin who has declared war on your tribe. GM Notes- Villains have access to their own power, Detrimental Existance, which allows them to bypass Fiat in regards to affecting Heros and only Heros. Thus it is recommended that you have only a few Villains in your stories, though remember a mook can be a Villain as easily as a BEBG.
 * Rival- The Rival is in direct competition with another character. This competition can be as friendly as the best friend who likes to spar every time he sees you to the daughter of the man you killed that has trained her whole life to match blades with you. But competition is what gives meaning to the Rival. GM Notes- Upon creating a Rival, the Rival should disappear for a long period of time from the story. The Rival is tied into another character in a Power Link, being of equal level (if not power or ECL) to the character she is tied to. Thus, Rivals are best used sparingly for when Heros need a stalwart ally or for when they have commited an act that should not go unpunished.
 * Soul Mate- Whereas the Rival is tied negatively to another character, the Soul Mate has a positive link, though it can be used for negative means. Soul Mates are characters for whom strong feeling are held, and time nor distance can ever weaken that bond. Whether a victim of your actions that you fear or a lovers you never forgot, the Soul Mate is tied into your life, always. GM Notes- The Soul Mate shares a powerful connection to another character called a Life Link, which grants the Soul Mate a number of benefits. She has a continous Status effect in regard to the one she is linked to, and this link persists onto plananr separation and even death. In addition, she may use the following abilities at will on her linked subject: Analyze Dweomer, Atonement, Bestow Curse, Discern Lies, Dream and Nightmare. Thus, use the Soul Mate only for characters to whom the linked character already has a strong emotional attachment for.
 * Foil- The Foil exists purely to get in the way of the Hero. By far the most common of Fatebound, Foils are indistinguishable from the unfated until the moment they strike. Thus, they are very dangerous to all that are important to the story. GM Notes- If the characters are just trying to create Fatebound for personal gain, make it a Foil. If you are unsure as to what kind of Role a Fatebound should play, make it a Foil. And all for a very specific reason- Foils are Beneath Notice, completely immune to all divination spells (including those that do not allow resistance), and are indistinguishable from unfated. Any attempts use such divination only reveals generic information that would be the expected for a similar creature; a Foil maid would probably be neutral, have thought about how she is never appreciated for how hard she works, dos not lie any more than most laborers, etc.

Place Roles
Fatebound Roles for places are less about the place it self as mauch as what kind of events will happen there, and thus will have strong Emotions tied to it. Each Emotion will prodvide a bonus to a particular set of abilities equal to twice its Fate and an equal penalty to another ability, proviced in the format Emotion Bonus Ability/Penalized Ability. In the case of ability sets with overlaps (like Dexterity/Combat, for example), the penalty overrides the bonus by default, but there can be exceptions. Some sample Emotions are provided below:
 * Peace Charisma/Combat
 * Battle Combat/Charisma
 * Wrath Strength/Wisdom
 * Lust Charisma/Wisdom
 * Empathy Wisdom/Charisma
 * Fear Dexterity/Intelligence
 * Learning Intelligence/Charisma
 * Artistry Intelligence/Combat
 * Growth Constitution/Intelligence
 * Birth Strength/Constitution
 * Death Wisdom/Constitution
 * Destruction Strength/Constitution
 * etc, etc...

Object Roles
Fatebound Objects are in two categories- Boon and Bane:
 * Boon- A Boon item has a master. When weilded by it's master, the Boon items cannot be sundered or disarmed except on a natural 20. Boon items also grant their master Fiat, or improve Fiat to the point of protecting it's master from the ability of Villains. In addition, Boon items are never lost for long. If a Boon item is lost or taken, it will reappear to aid it's master in (15 -Fate x2) scenes. Boon items used against their master will return to the masters grasp at first opportunity, ie whenever the current user fails a roll with the Boon Item in it's possession.
 * Bane- A Bane item has a target. When used to harm or inconvinence it's target, the Bane item is exceptional, always resulting in a degree of success one higher than what would have been achieved. Attempts to harm the Bane item by it's target always fail, and any harm done by a Rival or Soulmate of the target to the Bane items is reflected in the target. Finally, the target of a Bane item always treats the Bane items user as if protected by Fiat, and if a Villain loses his Detrimental Nature.