Live Changeling: the Lost - Rules part 3

[picks_at_flies]

Well, I've had some feedback on whether the number of Contract clauses are a problem, and apparently they aren't.  I guess I learned vampire disciplines back in my top brain-sponge days.  Incidentally, I did wonder for a while if I was needlessly reinventing the wheel:  the new MET system has successes, doesn't require props and doesn't require any modification of the core book.  However, there are some distinct advantages to writing a new system:

1. Players don't need to buy the core book.  Sorry White Wolf, I don't think I could get an occasional LARP of any size off the ground if half the players needed to fork out £20.  If it works, they'll buy it anyway.
2. I can tweak the system without threat of rules-lawyers.  (I can employ them better to find gaps...).
3. Most clauses (or at least a vast number) will be useless in gatherings in the human world, or gatherings in general.  They need to be given Downtime effects.

Actually, this last point is fairly important.  I certainly noticed in the vampire game that in the actual games themselves the number of times social/mental stats were used paled in comparison to physical stats (wayyy back in UK Masquerade in Birmingham, it was Mental stats).  This drives me towards a place where everything has a point.  It also is pushing me to having separate Strength and Finesse traits to enable different types of physical character.

It also leads us to the real point of this post, talking about downtime actions.  Since, if the game actually is ongoing rather than a one-off (or never more than theoretical), there will be 3 months between games I intend each character to have 30 action points.  They donate any number of these to the Motley or to a liege.  Note that for standard or easy actions, ability counts +1 if character has relevant associated at the same level.  For very difficult actions which require multiple abilities, the main ability is limited by associated ability +1.

• Hunt Glamour

Base per month = Social plus relevant ability;  if appropriate, average of Social+other attribute (round down) + ability.
Global hunting penalty (probably 0, but you never know)
Bonuses from Merits and Contracts.
Other actions will require Glamour so characters are likely to need to go above their maximum.
Need to sort out how Glamour from oaths works (is it daily?  how does it balance with other glamour gaining)
Free glamour hunt assumes using light or pre-existing emotions.

- Hunt Glamour is effectively extra time on an automatic action.  Each action assigned to it adds 1 or 2 glamour (maybe 1, affected by contracts)
- 5 point hunt gives standard hunt bonus again, but requires a description of method - might Create Plot :D
- Gaining glamour from dreams requires certain prerequisites, but adds Wyrd to gain.  Might need an action to use.

• Quest

Sorts of quests include hunting for a Hollow, a particular character/hobgoblin, hunting for Goblin Fruit, finding parts for a hedge-spun item or treasure;  more difficult quests involve hunting for a mythical being or object, finding a path to faerie, finding the way to another part of world through the hedge or creating a new doorway.Quests in the Hedge are dangerous and have a number of conditions:  time, navigation, stealth, combat, understanding, negotiation.  Tricky quests are also marked cautious or brave, with a penalty for the wrong approach.  The difficulty for each condition is set when the quest is announced.  The STs then calculate the various levels for the group going and cross-reference and assigns penalties as appropriately as possible.  Penalties can be loss of time, glamour, health, possessions or stats.  Probably a small random variable will be present.  Note that Contracts are included if they are necessary (and can help other questors if stated in the clause) but use of Contracts becomes a quest cost in Glamour.

Time:  The base time for the quest.  Each participant needs to set aside that time.  Extra time can be used to off-set penalties elsewhere.  Penalty is failure.
Navigation:  The hedge is confusing at the best of times, and then you go looking for a rare location...  Navigation goes off the best character.  Penalties are time, glamour and failure.
Stealth:  Characters can avoid physical or social confrontations.  Stealth goes off the worst character.  Penalties result in higher levels of combat and/or negotiation.
Understanding:  The hedge is a very strange place.  Even hunting for goblin fruit can be perilous if you can't identify which fruit is which.  Typically goes off the best character.  Penalties result in loss of health, glamour or stats.
Combat:  The combat rating is given at two levels, depending on use of stealth.  Combat goes off the best character plus have the level of each other character.  Penalties result in loss of health or glamour.
Negotiation:  The negotiation rating is given at two levels, dependingo n the use of stealth.  Negotiation goes off the best character plus the worst character (but may be modified by peculiar modifiers).  Penalties result in loss of glamour or possessions (or more combat).

Players won't see the actual levels, but will be given a brief description of their quest - and encouraged to flesh it out themselves.  However, they will see how much various clauses add to each of the conditions.

• Improve Merit / Increase skill

These will be fixed time activities.

• Human world activity

Some human activity is necessary to maintain balance, and doesn't always require real skill.  When it does, it will typically just require some of the relevant ability and/or contracts.  Really cunning plans may be broken down similarly to Quests.

• Following

Following presents unique problems to changelings, and so is likely divided up into:
1. Basic following - seeing where the target goes but not following them in.  Includes safe areas of the hedge.
2. Close following - going wherever the target goes, as long as it doesn't go far beyond the safe areas of the hedge.
3. Insane following - goes wherever the target goes, even on a Quest.  Pursuer faces similar difficulty to the target, and failure results in revealing herself.

In practice, I would expect most characters to be able to make a minor and a major quest comfortably.