Author Topic: Using "Marked by Power"  (Read 2588 times)

Offline zerogain

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Using "Marked by Power"
« on: October 20, 2010, 12:14:55 PM »
In my last session I suggested the player with this supernatural power use it to demonstrate to a pair of ghouls that she was something special.  At the time it made sense to have this be the necessary level to negotiate a concession out of the ghouls.

Now that I've had time to think about it some more, I certainly think I'd do it again, but that also brings up my favorite question with this power:  How does it work?

The effects entry states:

Aegis of Respect. A magical mark is upon you, placed by a creature or person of significant power. It’s not that the mark provides any actual protection, but magically aware people and creatures can perceive this mark upon you and word tends to get around that you’ve been “claimed.” Whenever dealing with someone in the magical community, all of your social skill rolls operate at a +1 bonus... <snip>

In effect I allowed the player to spend a fate point to make the mark plain to anyone who was looking to use as an intimidation tool.  Anyone see anything wrong with this, or am I reaching beyond the scope of a 1-point power?

Offline Amseriah

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Re: Using "Marked by Power"
« Reply #1 on: October 20, 2010, 12:34:46 PM »
I don't think you did anything wrong here.  I would imagine that it would be very intimidating to ghouls to have, say the Winter Knight, come crashing down the door with his mark from Mab blazing, telling them that if they don't shape up SHE is going to be pretty ticked and might have to do something about them.

Offline luminos

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Re: Using "Marked by Power"
« Reply #2 on: October 20, 2010, 01:31:30 PM »
The mark does not take any fate points to activate.  It is always on, and anyone with supernatural know how will be affected by it.  The only time it is not in affect is when the person with it makes an effort to conceal the mark.
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Offline ralexs1991

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Re: Using "Marked by Power"
« Reply #3 on: October 20, 2010, 01:31:49 PM »
yeah it sounds perfectly fair to me
Oh, hi, Mr. Warden!  How are you this fine day?  My, what a shiny sword you have there...

Offline Becq

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Re: Using "Marked by Power"
« Reply #4 on: October 20, 2010, 07:42:36 PM »
Yeah, no need to use a Fate point, they get the benefit 'for free'.  Note, however, that this isn't a guaranteed advantage, and can be a disadvantage.  For example, if a war has flared up between Summer and Winter, a Winter Mark is going to look a lot like a bulls-eye to agents of Summer.  The character will still get the +1 to social in such circumstances(particularly appropriate for intimidation).

Note that in cases where an NPC has reason to respect the mark, it might be reasonable to allow the player to spend Fate to invoke their High Concept (which would relate to the mark by definition) to get a further +2 on affected social rolls.

Offline zerogain

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Re: Using "Marked by Power"
« Reply #5 on: October 20, 2010, 08:11:10 PM »
The character is a scion of the amalgam deity/spirit of Raven (of the American northwest tribes) and Morrigan (the Celtic goddess).  When viewed from a distance these two actually have similarities, and we've decided they are one and the same.  She gets a double-whammy in the scion field as her mother was Makah and of the bloodline, and her father was pretty pure-blooded Irish, and also of the bloodline.

What started out in concept as a minor talent has rapidly become an Emissary of Power, but none of us are complaining as the organic character growth is quite cool.

Regardless, I chose to require a Fate point to do something I thought was abnormal, the best description in replies was to invoke her high concept aspect.  I thought it especially apt since the battle was occurring in a dig site related to her people.

Thanks for the input!


Offline toturi

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Re: Using "Marked by Power"
« Reply #6 on: October 21, 2010, 03:06:17 AM »
The only time it is not in affect is when the person with it makes an effort to conceal the mark.
Per the description of the power. Or when the person doesn't actually have the Mark, perhaps via Modular Ability or Human Form.
« Last Edit: October 21, 2010, 03:09:39 AM by toturi »
With your laws of magic, wizards would pretty much just be helpless carebears who can only do magic tricks. - BumblingBear