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View Full Version : Nature [Alignment variant, PEACH]



Diggorian
2007-04-25, 02:53 PM
I'm thinking of trying this in a new campaign I'm going to run. Nature is an attempt to abstractly model personality moreso than Alignment's morality/ethics. I've mixed in a little crunch with the fluff too.

Nature is composed of the Virtues and Vices, general adjectives which describe a character's behavioral tendencies and moral strength. A Nature may have as many as three of each, but must have atleast one of each.

More Virtues than Vices denotes a "good" person, while more Vices than Virtues would show an "evil" Nature. Law and Chaos can be surmised by which what adjectives are used: free-spirited is chaotic, meticulous is lawful. A balance of the number of Virtue and Vices can be viewed as "neutrality".

Faithful and accurate portrayl of their Virtues and Vices will yield roleplaying XP for a character. They can also complicate things when say guilt over not living up to a Virtue effects your focus, or the the temptation of a Vice compels you do unhealthy things. The difficulty of overcoming these things varies with situation. Occasionally a Nature check is called for to resist these inclinations. This is made by rolling a Wisdom check versus a Stressor DC. Success indicates the character can deal with it; failure means the character suffers a temporary penalty condition based on the Virtue or Vice involved. The larger the margin of failure the worse the penalty and longer the duration of this condition.

Vorenus returns to his village from a battle in which two of his long time friends perished. Sitting at the tavern's bar, he views a wide array spirits to raise his. The barkeep recognizing his mood and knowing him a brave warrior pushes a full mug towards him, "On the house, my friend." Having the Vice 'Lush', and suffering a grave loss, Vorenus must make a Nature check to resist his Vice. Versus a DC of 15 his Wisdom check is 10, missed by five indicates a notable lack of willpower. Over a few minutes, Vorenus drinks until Drunk (-4 to Dexterity, Wisdom, and Charisma until he sleeps 8 hours).

Titus, a fellow soldier and the brother of one of Vorenus's dead allies, has drunk himself to a more moderate Tipsy (as drunk but -2). He overhears two merchants commenting on how good the soldiers have it. Remembering his impaled little brother splayed on the field, and having the Vice 'Temper', Titus must make a Nature check. The casual opinion evokes only DC 12, but because of drink and luck he only rolls a 2 to resist. Failure by 10 means he's Enraged (must beat the triggerer unconscious immediately or suffer -6 to Int, Wis, and Cha until he starts the fight). One of the merchants lowers his wine glass to see his talkative companion being force fed a tankard by a curse-spewing Titus. "'Av it so good, do we!?!?"

Vorenus's player doesnt want to make another Nature check in his current state, so decides to play out his Virtue 'Loyalty' and try to stop Titus before the militia come and likely kill him. If he can do this before the merchant dies or the militia comes, he'll get comensurate XP for this Challenging social encounter.

Stress conditions can last for days, weeks, or a single encounter. Allies can assist you in overcoming bad conditions by in-character support, allowing you to make another Nature check with a bonus before the original duration expires.

Although Nature is essentially fixed, it's possible to alter. Neglected, unplayed, Virutes can fade away. Vices must be fought overtime. Atleast one of each must remain.

Matthew
2007-05-05, 06:59 AM
I don't know. This seems a kind of unnecessary mechanic. It seems to work and all, but wouldn't it just be better left to Roleplaying?