Aspects - How do I Compel that?

[Kiero]

Some thinking I'm doing for our DFRPG game, starting in earnest (City/Character Generation done!) tomorrow. This is a bit of a thought exercise I'm doing for two reasons; firstly, as a way to interrogate my existing Aspects to check that they are "double-edged"; secondly to give our GM some examples of things I'd really like to be Compelled on. I figured I'd share it with everyone so that if they feel like doing so they've got an example to inspire/aid.

See the thing is, I'm playing a low-Refresh character (and everyone bar our Champion of God is too; and that will change after the first story, Know Your Enemy), so Compels are going to be the primary source of FPs for me. And you need FPs (let's face it, finding ways to spend them is easy; it's coming up with good reasons to earn them that can be hard). The good thing about a Compel is that it's a complication that you want to happen. Thus you've written your Aspect in such a way as to highlight those sorts of conflicts and situations, that are bad for your character, yet interesting for you as a player to deal with.

So here goes.

(click to show/hide)

Reformed Scion of Vlad Drakul; Compel to:

• Spare the life of a foe who deserves to die (particularly to avoid killing mortals)
• Search for the more peaceful, less violent way to resolve a potential fight
• Reveal my demonic nature to someone in a way that complicates the situation
• Trigger my Catch
• Involve my father or half-siblings (or descendants) in a way that makes things messier
• Involve demons who have links to my father or half-siblings which again causes trouble
• Bring in enemies (or worse, allies) of my family who expect assistance

History is Written in Blood; Compel to:

• Bring in righteous crusaders seeking to bring me to justice for the crimes of my past
• Bring in enemies from my past, seeking to harm me and my friends
• Bring in allies from my past, seeking to redeem favours
• Retrospectively write me into historical events which don't reflect well on me (or otherwise make things more difficult)
• Link my crimes to something going on in the present, bringing guilt by association
• Put someone on my trail because of something recorded in history (or worse, someone who's read Oliver's book and worked it out!)
• Bring up guilt about the things I've done

Former Mamluk; Compel to:

• Link my past to Bristol's own history of slavery
• Invoke indignant rage when faced with examples of modern slavery
• Fall back on old ways (fight first, think later)
• Trigger his old magical bindings that can force him to obey a sorceror's commands
• Unsettle him with remembrances of his time in chains (probably a tag in a mental conflict)
• Cause complications in my relationship with Richard specifically, and wizards generally
• Highlight my lack of social skills beyond scaring people

Through Hope, My Chains Were Broken; Compel to:

• In the heat of the moment, make me choose the impulsive, risky, noble, but possibly suicidal course of action ("what could possibly go wrong?")
• With time to consider, take the higher path, do something good no matter the danger or personal cost
• Help someone in a dire and desperate situation
• Try to free those similarly trapped by nature or circumstance
• Bring in Esperacchius and it's wielder in a way that complicates things
  

Red Knight's Nemesis; Compel to:

• Bring in my Red Court foes - especially Tamsin Ringworth who's sire I killed in 1938
• Make me go out of my way to stir up trouble with the Red Court
• Encourage me to help Oliver with his own personal mission against the Red Court
• Bring in the Fellowship of St Giles, to whom I may still owe favours or service
• Highlight the potentially tricky history I have with Oriana including an unpaid debt from the Spanish Civil War

Comrades in Arms; Compel to:

• Make me step in front of the other PCs, getting myself involved in their troubles regardless of the cost to myself
• Highlight my obligation to JayBee, who rescued me from the Nevernever
• Never leave anyone behind!
• Bring in Faris and JayBee's mutual enemy, both the powerful demon and the mortal summoner behind it
• Complications with JayBee due to my involvement in the events that killed her lover

Parkour Troupe: Compel to:

• Get my mob of kids in trouble (especially the sort I can't fix by thumping it in the face)
• Hassles from the White Council, or more specifically Saxon Bampfylde (Bath's Warden)
• "Of course I can make that jump!"
• People asking me for help (linked to the kids I know)

I think that's probably enough to be going on with, some of them are meatier than others. But I think that's a useful exercise in and of itself. Does anyone do something similar?

[devonapple]

Some folks do this for Compels, as well as for Invokes.

[Kiero]

Some folks do this for Compels, as well as for Invokes.

To be honest, I think Invokes are easy. Possibly too easy to need listing out some examples - unless you want some "gimmes" that you don't have to negotiate on the spot.

[devonapple]

Listing out one's possible Invokes can serve two purposes: as a reminder, and as an understanding between player and GM as to the latitude of an Aspect. But having those established for Compels is a lot more useful, yes.

[Kiero]

Listing out one's possible Invokes can serve two purposes: as a reminder, and as an understanding between player and GM as to the latitude of an Aspect. But having those established for Compels is a lot more useful, yes.

Indeed, I'd say defining Invokes in that fashion is most useful for having some established understanding between player and GM.

[wyvern]

The lists you've got look good.  And yes, I do in fact do much the same thing, working out a listing of invokes and compels for all of my aspects (and, for characters that have been in play for a bit, I also keep track of old aspects that have been retired.)  For an example, Johann, the character I'm playing in a game on the play by post forums.

[Kiero]

The lists you've got look good.  And yes, I do in fact do much the same thing, working out a listing of invokes and compels for all of my aspects (and, for characters that have been in play for a bit, I also keep track of old aspects that have been retired.)  For an example, Johann, the character I'm playing in a game on the play by post forums.

Thanks.

Johann is quite an experienced character, what level are you playing at?

[wyvern]

I believe we're running on 18 refresh and 51 skill points.  It is, indeed, a rather high-powered game; other PCs are leaders of major mostly-local organizations, or nearly-senior-council-level warlocks, or the like.