Aspects

Aspects are the personalising features of a character, and the weird backgrounds that are available in some game worlds. This section will only cover fairly generic Aspects. They are classified according to their game effect, because the same description may be used to cover several effects. For example, "Beautiful" might give a +1 bonus in social contests and rolls, or subtract 10 from the opponent's resistance total, or even both.

Aspects should not, usually, cover the character's background. This is because there is no reason why a nobleman should not be as talented as a commoner, or the rich as talented as the poor. The GM and the players should work out character backgrounds co-operatively.

Abilities

An aspect that affects an ability costs three points for every point of bonus. So, an aspect giving a character +2 to Administration would cost 6 points. Characters are not allowed to buy negative aspects on abilities, because this is open to massive abuse.

Characters may also buy aspects affecting a range of abilities. These abilities should form a sensible group, and the GM must approve them in advance. Languages and Musical Abilities would be obviously suitable choices, as would Social Abilities, or Combat Abilities. Such an aspect costs 15 points for every point of bonus.

Aspects can also affect rates of learning. Each point of such an aspect adds one to the improvement total for certain abilities. If only one ability is affected, the aspect costs one point per point of bonus. If a group, as above, it costs 5 points per point.

Finally, aspects can affect crafting totals. Each point of aspect adds one point to the crafting total for certain skills. This costs 2 points if one skill is affected, 10 points for a group, and 30 for all crafting totals.

Negative aspects may be taken at one level lower. Thus, an aspect that subtracts from a whole group of abilities gives the character three aspect points per level.

Contests

Aspects may affect contests in three ways. They may alter Acting Totals, Effect Totals, or Resistance Totals. The basic cost to alter an Acting or Effect total is three points per point of aspect, while the basic cost to alter a Resistance total is one point per point. Each point of aspect adds or subtracts one. This is for beneficial aspects, adding to the character's totals or subtracting from an opponent's.

The basic costs are modified by the frequency with which the modifier will apply. The basic cost will affect contests involving a couple of skills. For twice the cost it will affect contests involving a whole group of skills most of the time. Beauty would have twice the cost, because it will affect all social contests where the character can be seen. For triple the cost, it will affect all contests with a whole group of skills. Being naturally tough would fall here, as it affects all combat contests.

Aspects may also affect the multiplier for resistance totals. The base cost for this is 10 points to increase the multiplier by 1, and is affected as above.

Negative aspects may be taken here, at one level lower than the corresponding positive aspects. Thus, ugliness is only worth half as many points as beauty costs.

Temptations

Temptations are things that the character finds it very hard to avoid doing, acquiring, or whatever. Their base cost is determined by how hard they are to resist. Resisting a temptation requires a threshold roll based on an appropriate ability. A basic temptation gives the character 2 aspect points, and has a base difficulty of zero. Obviously, the character will be able to resist temptation in most cases. For every point by which the difficulty is increased, the character gains an additional 2 aspect points.

The appropriate ability for resisting a temptation will depend on the nature of the temptation, but it will always be one of the endurance abilities. Physical needs and addictions should use a physical ability, mental ones a mental, and social ones a social. As a rule of thumb, a need for some substance is physical, anything ethical is social, and curiosity is mental. The examples below have the appropriate class in brackets.

If a character is engaged in a contest which aims to convince him to act as his temptations would suggest, he must first make a roll to resist the temptation. If he fails, he gives in right away. If he succeeds, the strength of the temptation is subtracted from his resistance total.

The base cost of a temptation is modified by the nature of the temptation. If it is something normally considered virtuous, such as honesty (social), the cost is halved, as people will tend to respect the character for it. (A character with an honest temptation would have to roll to lie, and would have to roll with a bonus to stretch the truth.)

If the temptation is something neutral, such as a liking for blondes (social), then it costs the base cost. Such temptations should be capable of getting the character into trouble, but not guarantee it.

If the temptation is positively dangerous but still virtuous, such as a great reluctance to flee from battle (social), the cost is doubled. People will respect the character, if he manages to survive.

If the temptation is dangerous and neutral, such as a love for climbing mountains (mental), then triple the cost.

A temptation that is generally regarded as wrong or unpleasant costs double the base cost if it is not intrinsically dangerous (excessive drinking (physical) or lecherousness (social or, just possibly, physical)), and quadruple if it is (theft (social, or possibly mental), which can get the character arrested).

The GM should keep a careful eye on temptations, and not allow those that will upset the game. Note that a character may be built with a temptation that he is trying to overcome. This temptation may even be a virtuous one. In this case, it is not bad roleplaying for the character to be constantly making rolls to resist it.