Difference between revisions of "Romance"

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A romance follows the ebb and flow of your intimate relationships. Romances take place between encounters, and can extend out across many sessions of game play. There are rewards for being involved in a romance, but also risks. Once involved in a romance, you will need to track its progress on a separate [[romance sheet]]. You may choose to begin play with a relationship started (one successful tryst) with a single [[denizen]] you create, however the referee will control that denizen during play.
{{Romantic Knots}}
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A romance follows the ebb and flow of intimate relationships, and uses your [[love]] and [[foe]]. Romances take place between encounters, and can extend out across many sessions of game play. There are rewards for being involved in a romance, but also risks. Once involved in a romance, you will need to track its progress on a separate [[romance sheet]]. You may choose to begin play with a successful tryst with a [[denizen]] you create, however the referee will control that denizen during play unless he or she is also a [[follower]].
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==Tryst==
 
==Tryst==
Romances happen around a series of trysts. A tryst may include physical intimacy and sexual contact, but doesn't necessarily have to. You must spend 1 focus to initiate a tryst, and be in the same location as those invited into the tryst (and only those invited). Commonly trysts are between two characters, but any number may be invited. For each invitation you must succeed at an [[heart]] check. Anyone at the same location may [[retort]] your invitations like a [[social]] attack. If any invitation fails or you are retorted, then the tryst ends with no additional effect. If you are in a crisis you must use a [[project]] to start a tryst, and anyone accepting an invitation must drop any other projects started. Each invited individual may decide whether to join the tryst or leave the location. The referee has final say on whether a [[personality]] will accept an invitation or not, but as a rule of thumb any [[reaction]] bonus will usually equate to participation, otherwise the personality will decline.
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Romances happen around a series of trysts. A tryst may include physical intimacy and sexual contact, but doesn't necessarily have to. Starting a tryst requires that you be in the same location as those invited. Commonly trysts are between two characters, but any number may be invited. For each invitation you must make a [[heart]] check (called a [[flirt]]), and track your success or failure margin. The invitation is extended whether you succeed or fail, but you suffer wits damage equal to any failure margin. Anyone at the same location may [[retort]] your invitations like a [[social]] attack, and if you lose the difference counts as failure margin causing wits damage. A tryst counts as a [[project]] if you happen to be in a [[crisis]]. Each invited individual may decide whether to join the tryst or ignore it. If joining, the participant also rolls a flirt and similarly tracks the success or failure margin, and suffers wits damage on a failure. The referee has final say on whether a [[personality]] will accept an invitation or not, but as a rule of thumb a bonus usually equates to participation, and anything else results in an ignored invitation.
  
 
==Outcome==
 
==Outcome==
Each accepting invited participant also checks against [[heart]]. Compare the success margins for all checks with the original invitation. If all success margins are exactly the same the tryst concludes successfully and all participants regain 1 focus. If any check has a different margin focus is still recovered but a tragedy occurs. If all checks succeed, whether the margins are the same or not, then a bond is formed and added to your romance sheet. Finally, anyone on your romance sheet who isn't involved in the tryst (lovers and foes alike) take 1 wits damage, even if they don't know why.
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Compare the margins for all flirt checks for the tryst. If they are different, then a '''tragedy''' occurs (see below). Regardless of that result, if any involved party wishes to start a romance then you begin filling out the romance sheet. Whether a romance starts or not, engaging in a tryst is a goal so participants regain 1 wits and an achievement if this is the first tryst of the game. Any participant who does not wish to be in a romance adds that fact as an extra '''obstacle''' for the romance. If a participant is already in another romance, that romance is added as an extra obstacle too. The romance is given a name from components of each participant's name. So if it was Bob and Jenny in the tryst the bond might be called Benny (or Job). If Doug was included too the bond might be named Bugny, and so on. Then each member adds an obstacle to the bond that the others must overcome. Common obstacles include previous promises, powerful rivals, or family interference. An obstacle should be roughly the equivalent of a goal or a tier 2 asset. Finally, the referee will add one more obstacle to the romance. The difficulty of this goal should be relatively easy if the personal goals are difficult, or extremely difficult if the other obstacles are minor.
  
 
==Tragedy==
 
==Tragedy==
A tragedy is an unfortunate event that is a direct result of the tryst, either from a participant's action or a foe's reaction to it. A tragedy never benefits anyone within the tryst, and may have multiple consequences such as injuries or deaths, the loss of bonds or assets, or the addition of infamy or states. A tragedy may force checks, complications, or encounters to mitigate the severity of the results. In general, the deeper the bond involved the more deadly a tragedy will become. When a tragedy occurs, you propose the exact circumstances and consequences to the referee, and then the referee will negotiate until something appropriate is decided. Consequences should directly affect at least one participant in the tryst. It's possible to have consequences that affect an ally instead, but those consequences become more extreme so the indirect impact is still felt by at least one participant. The optional table below offers some example circumstances and consequences:
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A tragedy is an unfortunate event that is a direct result of the tryst, either from a participant's action or a foe's reaction to it. A tragedy never benefits anyone within the tryst, and may have multiple consequences such as injuries or deaths, the loss of assets, or the addition of new obstacles to the romance. A tragedy may force checks, complications, or encounters to mitigate the results. When a tragedy occurs, you propose the exact circumstances and consequences, and then the referee will negotiate until something appropriate is decided. Consequences should directly affect at least one participant in the tryst. It's possible to have consequences that affect an ally instead, but those consequences become more extreme so the indirect impact is still felt by at least one participant. The optional table below may be used either directly or for inspiration:
  
 
'''Tragedy - Roll 1d6'''
 
'''Tragedy - Roll 1d6'''
#'''Betrayal:''' Real or misunderstood betrayals causes [[reaction]] penalty from everyone on your romance sheet. All participants must succeed in a different tryst before attempting this one again.
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#'''Betrayal:''' Real or misunderstood betrayals causes [[reaction]] penalty from everyone on your romance sheet and forces at least one different tryst.
 
#'''Violence:''' A participant is injured or kidnapped, or an ally commits suicide or is murdered by a foe.
 
#'''Violence:''' A participant is injured or kidnapped, or an ally commits suicide or is murdered by a foe.
#'''Obstacle:''' A promise based on a loyalty (like an arranged marriage or difficult duty) must be resolved before a bond can advance. A participant loses a loyalty bubble for ignoring the obstacle until now, and the bond gains an obstacle.
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#'''Promise:''' A forgotten or new promise based on a loyalty (like an arranged marriage or difficult duty) must be resolved as a new obstacle.
#'''Competition:''' A dangerous personality appears as a new foe, and automatically creates a bond with one of the participants. This competitor will actively work to undermine all participant's bonds.
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#'''Competition:''' A dangerous personality appears as a new foe, and automatically creates a romance with one of the participants. This competitor will actively work to undermine all participant's other romances.
#'''Shamed:''' All participants of the tryst are publicly ostracized and gain 2 infamy.
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#'''Shamed:''' All participants of the tryst are publicly ostracized and gain a [[reaction]] penalty.
 
#'''Ruined:''' A participant is strapped and loses an asset, or a foe causes an ally to lose everything.
 
#'''Ruined:''' A participant is strapped and loses an asset, or a foe causes an ally to lose everything.
  
 
==Bond==
 
==Bond==
If all the participants in the tryst succeeded at the intensity check then a bond will form or deepen. If newly formed, the bond is given a name with components from the name of each participant in the tryst and recorded on your romance sheet. So if it was Bob and Jenny in the tryst the bond might be called Benny (or Job). If Doug was included too the bond might be named Bugny, and so on. The bond is then given one obstacle per member, plus an obstacle specific to the bond as a whole. An obstacle is a condition that must be met before the bond can be upgraded to a union, or a foe with power over a member of the bond and the desire to destroy the bond. An obstacle should be roughly equivalent to a goal, or require the sacrifice of the equivalent of a tier 2 asset to overcome. Additional obstacles can be created by tragedy or appropriate circumstances.
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You may attempt trysts as often as you like, but you must attempt one after each obstacle is resolved. On the tryst after the last obstacle is resolved (and any tragedy dealt with) the romance becomes a bond. Any other romance that you were a participant in is eliminated. You gain a bond asset with your partner(s) and a [[legacy]] asset. If the bond is lost (through death or betrayal) you may participate in trysts and romances again.
 
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==Union==
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If the participants in an existing bond succeed in a tryst with no tragedy and the obstacle has been overcome then the bond is upgraded to a '''union'''. Mark it with an asterisk * to denote it is a union, and eliminate all other bonds that include participants from the union. If the overcome obstacle was equivalent to 2 or more AP you gain a [[legacy]] for the union, and if the obstacle was worth 5 AP you gain an additional legacy. Once in a union you may no longer participate in trysts. While all members of the union are together they may use each other's focus freely. If a member of a union is killed the asterisk is removed and the union is downgraded back to a bond.
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==Romance Tactics==
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It's easiest to complete a successful romance with two individuals, but it is possible with more. If you want to disrupt a romance in progress you need to be close enough to interrupt a tryst with a [[retort]] or find ways to add new obstacles to the bond. Likewise a secret or protected location is useful for protecting your own trysts from foes. If you can, weaken a foe's wits and then start trysts to send them over the edge. A random tryst can be beneficial if you're invited, and might also develop reoccurring characters that could become bonds or allies later. The focus cost for initiating a tryst can limit the pacing and development of romances if only one participant ever initiates.
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[[Category:Mode]]
 
[[Category:Mode]]

Revision as of 23:33, 11 January 2015

A romance follows the ebb and flow of your intimate relationships. Romances take place between encounters, and can extend out across many sessions of game play. There are rewards for being involved in a romance, but also risks. Once involved in a romance, you will need to track its progress on a separate romance sheet. You may choose to begin play with a relationship started (one successful tryst) with a single denizen you create, however the referee will control that denizen during play.

Tryst

Romances happen around a series of trysts. A tryst may include physical intimacy and sexual contact, but doesn't necessarily have to. Starting a tryst requires that you be in the same location as those invited. Commonly trysts are between two characters, but any number may be invited. For each invitation you must make a heart check (called a flirt), and track your success or failure margin. The invitation is extended whether you succeed or fail, but you suffer wits damage equal to any failure margin. Anyone at the same location may retort your invitations like a social attack, and if you lose the difference counts as failure margin causing wits damage. A tryst counts as a project if you happen to be in a crisis. Each invited individual may decide whether to join the tryst or ignore it. If joining, the participant also rolls a flirt and similarly tracks the success or failure margin, and suffers wits damage on a failure. The referee has final say on whether a personality will accept an invitation or not, but as a rule of thumb a bonus usually equates to participation, and anything else results in an ignored invitation.

Outcome

Compare the margins for all flirt checks for the tryst. If they are different, then a tragedy occurs (see below). Regardless of that result, if any involved party wishes to start a romance then you begin filling out the romance sheet. Whether a romance starts or not, engaging in a tryst is a goal so participants regain 1 wits and an achievement if this is the first tryst of the game. Any participant who does not wish to be in a romance adds that fact as an extra obstacle for the romance. If a participant is already in another romance, that romance is added as an extra obstacle too. The romance is given a name from components of each participant's name. So if it was Bob and Jenny in the tryst the bond might be called Benny (or Job). If Doug was included too the bond might be named Bugny, and so on. Then each member adds an obstacle to the bond that the others must overcome. Common obstacles include previous promises, powerful rivals, or family interference. An obstacle should be roughly the equivalent of a goal or a tier 2 asset. Finally, the referee will add one more obstacle to the romance. The difficulty of this goal should be relatively easy if the personal goals are difficult, or extremely difficult if the other obstacles are minor.

Tragedy

A tragedy is an unfortunate event that is a direct result of the tryst, either from a participant's action or a foe's reaction to it. A tragedy never benefits anyone within the tryst, and may have multiple consequences such as injuries or deaths, the loss of assets, or the addition of new obstacles to the romance. A tragedy may force checks, complications, or encounters to mitigate the results. When a tragedy occurs, you propose the exact circumstances and consequences, and then the referee will negotiate until something appropriate is decided. Consequences should directly affect at least one participant in the tryst. It's possible to have consequences that affect an ally instead, but those consequences become more extreme so the indirect impact is still felt by at least one participant. The optional table below may be used either directly or for inspiration:

Tragedy - Roll 1d6

  1. Betrayal: Real or misunderstood betrayals causes reaction penalty from everyone on your romance sheet and forces at least one different tryst.
  2. Violence: A participant is injured or kidnapped, or an ally commits suicide or is murdered by a foe.
  3. Promise: A forgotten or new promise based on a loyalty (like an arranged marriage or difficult duty) must be resolved as a new obstacle.
  4. Competition: A dangerous personality appears as a new foe, and automatically creates a romance with one of the participants. This competitor will actively work to undermine all participant's other romances.
  5. Shamed: All participants of the tryst are publicly ostracized and gain a reaction penalty.
  6. Ruined: A participant is strapped and loses an asset, or a foe causes an ally to lose everything.

Bond

You may attempt trysts as often as you like, but you must attempt one after each obstacle is resolved. On the tryst after the last obstacle is resolved (and any tragedy dealt with) the romance becomes a bond. Any other romance that you were a participant in is eliminated. You gain a bond asset with your partner(s) and a legacy asset. If the bond is lost (through death or betrayal) you may participate in trysts and romances again.


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