Supernatural Templates that Use Pillars, Affinities, Utterances

[LordHeru]

So one of the features of Mummy the Curse that I absolutely love is the Pillar system and its related Affinities and Utterances. Which leads me to ask about the potential of using those three features with some slight modifications (for example altering Pillar limits and removing the limit on number of Affinities one can learn) for some other supernatural template.

Additionally, beyond the two tiny threads on this forum with a few new Affinities and Utterances I was wondering if anyone knew of any other homebrewed Affinities and Utterances.

As a emphasis point, I absolutely adore the Affinity and Utterance write-ups. As I go through that chapter of the book I can't help but nod again and again and think "I want to have that, and that, and that...". They really have the whole god-king feel to the powers, which is absolutely brilliant.

[White Oak Dragon]

A simple way to enjoy those things would be to just take the lesser immortals, like the blood bathers, and boost them from a minor template to a major one. Give them Pillars, Affinities, and Utterances, and allow them to buy up their power stat like other major templates. If you wanted, you could even incorporate the Descent into it by making it the negative consequence for failing to fulfill the requirements of your immortality. Didn’t bathe in the right blood in time? Boom! Now you’ve got to find a way to stop your power from bleeding away before that last dot goes and you’re dead.

[LordHeru]

A simple way to enjoy those things would be to just take the lesser immortals, like the blood bathers, and boost them from a minor template to a major one. Give them Pillars, Affinities, and Utterances, and allow them to buy up their power stat like other major templates. If you wanted, you could even incorporate the Descent into it by making it the negative consequence for failing to fulfill the requirements of your immortality. Didn’t bathe in the right blood in time? Boom! Now you’ve got to find a way to stop your power from bleeding away before that last dot goes and you’re dead.

Oh yeah totally. Honestly, one of the elements I love about Chronicles is that as there is but one overarching system it is quite possible to plug and play certain power sets and such. In fact really nifty materials in Mirrors (I LOVE that book) provide information for doing exactly that.

I'm a huge fan of the Immortals book and the Purified group within them. One of the ideas I had was to create a Purified type person but instead of the Siddhe they have use the Pillars and Affinities and Utterances. I guess I could the Purified's supernatural advantage though in some ways having it be Sekhem also makes sense, which is what leads to some of my design issues.

There is definitely a lot of potential for fun gaming times using already fun and well written powers.

I don't know if you know of it but there was a game called Witchcraft by CJ Carella and Eden Studios that had a group within it called True Immortals that I have long tried to find a way to implement in CoD. For a number of reasons of course but one main one is that they had a feature called Making which let them create what would be basically magitech and relics. When I saw the Affinities of Mummy I was like "that is such a potentially perfect solution'. hehe

Before I go I want to thank you for being willing to discuss these topics with me. I appreciate it.


PS. Oh, so I see among your writing TC In Media Res. Can I ask what you wrote in that book as its a very awesome book with a bunch of really interesting and fun adventurer ideas.

[White Oak Dragon]

There is definitely a lot of potential for fun gaming times using already fun and well written powers.

I don't know if you know of it but there was a game called Witchcraft by CJ Carella and Eden Studios that had a group within it called True Immortals that I have long tried to find a way to implement in CoD. For a number of reasons of course but one main one is that they had a feature called Making which let them create what would be basically magitech and relics. When I saw the Affinities of Mummy I was like "that is such a potentially perfect solution'. hehe

Before I go I want to thank you for being willing to discuss these topics with me. I appreciate it.


PS. Oh, so I see among your writing TC In Media Res. Can I ask what you wrote in that book as its a very awesome book with a bunch of really interesting and fun adventurer ideas.

No problem. I’m glad my thoughts could be useful to you.
I’ve never played the Witchcraft game, but I do own a couple of the books. I wish you the best of luck translating the True Immortals to CofD. I don’t remember enough about it to provide any suggestions there.
For In Media Res, I wrote the Caper Incorporated chapter.

[Vent0]

Hmm. This was under some debate and progress a while ago. Maybe something there is of use? http://forum.theonyxpath.com/forum/m...al-mummy-magic

[LordHeru]

Hmm. This was under some debate and progress a while ago. Maybe something there is of use? http://forum.theonyxpath.com/forum/m...al-mummy-magic

Hey thanks.

So I should note that I remember reading that thread back when it was first posted. I liked the general idea of using Merits to let mundanes purchase Pillars though some of the eventual discusisons went in directions that I wasn't a super fan of. (Example, Pillars being gained based on Willpower as a cap isn't super the wya I would want to go as I would want the potential for a sorceror to potentially gain all Pillars up to 5 dots.)

But yeah it was an interesting idea, one I wish was discussed a bit more. The Fivefold Soul Pillars and their related Affinities and Utterances are quite brilliant and potentially usable for other group types.

[Vent0]

I think I redid that as a set of Basic and Advanced merits that can be purchased for each Pillar, so you could get all at 5 eventually.

[LordHeru]

I think I redid that as a set of Basic and Advanced merits that can be purchased for each Pillar, so you could get all at 5 eventually.

-snip-

Risen Pillar (Supernatural, • to •••••)
Effect: You’ve figured out how to harness the five-fold energies of the Pillars of your soul. Choose a Pillar (Ab, Ba, Ka, Ren, and Sheut) - you gain an effect rating in one Pillar equal to the dots in this merit. This merit can be chosen multiple times, once for each Pillar. The first instance of this merit you acquire become your "defining Pillar", much like a Mummy's Decree. No other versions of this merit can exceed you rating in the defining Pillar.
If an ability or effect calls for expending a Pillar point, you may instead spend Willpower on a 1-for-1 basis. [Or no, and make such characters get the Advanced version of the Merit?]
Notes: These effective Pillars allow you to acquire Soul and Miscellaneous Affinities just as the Deathless do, and even qualify for Utterance Tiers, if you might otherwise possess such Utterances. Major life changes (such as completing long term Aspirations) might let you re-declare your defining Pillar.

Risen Pillar, Advanced (Supernatural, • to •••••)
Prerequisite: Risen Pillar •+ (must possess at least as many dots in the basic version of Risen Pillars for the chosen Pillar)
Effect: You have fortified your Pillar to the point where it can generate and store its own mystical energies. You can now store and spend actual Pillar points as if you possessed dots in the chosen Pillar, up to the number of dots in this merit. This merit can be chosen multiple times, once for each Pillar.

Pillar points can be regained through Meditation - Once per 24-hour period, a character may spend a scene (or an hour) in meditation to recover Pillar points. They strengthen their soul by taking refuge in their identity and sense of self. Roll Morality/Integrity as a dice pool - each success regenerates one Pillar point of the character’s choice. (Willpower can’t be spent for extra dice.)
Notes: These Pillar points can be spent on anything Pillar points can otherwise be spent on, such as activating certain Relics. At the Storyteller's option, these points might also be spent in place of Willpower for any Supernatural Merits the character might possess.

Seeker (••)
Prerequisites: Witness, Occult 1+, Unseen Sense (Arisen, Relics, Sekhem, etc.)
Effect: Your sensitivity to ancient mystic energies has developed to the point you have a sixth sense regarding where Relics, ancient or recent, might be found. You gain the sense of Kepher, except you can detect Relics of any nature and roll Wits + Composure instead of Sekhem.
Drawback: Whenever your Kepher sense triggers without you activating it directly, you become obsessed with finding the object whispering to you. Gain the Fixation Derangement (1E) or the Obsession Condition (2E) until you directly observe the Relic in question. Additionally, certain forces may use you like an occult bloodhound, following you toward objects of power.

Right. Wow. So I know I read them.Both then and just now when I reread the thread after your posting. But for some reason I must not have registered the difference in said Merit as compared to before.

But yeah, this sounds cool. The fact that each Pillar is its own Merit means that there is a potential for a sorcerer to only have one or a few of them, which is a fact that could represent rank, tier, and status within the organization that teaches such skills. The same with the fact that Pillar Points are unlocked by another Merit, those without it could be apprentices and those with it could be masters.

The fact that it takes a mortal sorcerer a long time to gain such a vast accomplishment makes perfect sense.

There is something I don't fully understand though. So I get that the base Risen Pillar Merit needs to be taken five times (one for each Pillar) and grown to five dots each for maximum effect. But is that the same for the advanced one, you need to take it five times (one for each Pillar) and bring them each to five dots, or is it simply you need to take it five times, one each for each Pillar, and once its taken you gain access to a number of points equal to the Pillar's permanent rating. (Honestly, I prefer the second idea. Which represents you unlocking each Pillar's power points, but that once a Pillar is unlocked you have access to its dot rating in potential.)

I could totally see additional special effects - probably summed up as Affinities - that could be purchased by said mortal Sorcerer.

Yeah, I like this. They have to spend their XP to boost their basic power source (the five Pillars) but once they do they can have access to and purchase Affinities and Utterances that they meet the prerequisties for. (I figure let them count as Sekhem 1 for Utterance purposes)

Good potential way to go about it. Very fun.

And if you are interested in thinking more about it then I am interested in hearing/discussing more about it too. Because I really think the Pillar/Affinity/Utterance system is too good, too fun, to be kept only by Mummies.

[Vent0]

There is something I don't fully understand though. So I get that the base Risen Pillar Merit needs to be taken five times (one for each Pillar) and grown to five dots each for maximum effect. But is that the same for the advanced one, you need to take it five times (one for each Pillar) and bring them each to five dots, or is it simply you need to take it five times, one each for each Pillar, and once its taken you gain access to a number of points equal to the Pillar's permanent rating. (Honestly, I prefer the second idea. Which represents you unlocking each Pillar's power points, but that once a Pillar is unlocked you have access to its dot rating in potential.)

It is intended as: a character takes Risen Pillars (Ab) 3. They can be treated as having Ab 3 for picking up Affinities, and how those Affinities are calculated. They do not have any Ab Pillar Points, though. They could take Risen Pillars Advanced (Ab) up to 3, gaining up to 3 actual Ab Pillar Points.

I could totally see additional special effects - probably summed up as Affinities - that could be purchased by said mortal Sorcerer.

Yeah, I like this. They have to spend their XP to boost their basic power source (the five Pillars) but once they do they can have access to and purchase Affinities and Utterances that they meet the prerequisties for. (I figure let them count as Sekhem 1 for Utterance purposes)

Good potential way to go about it. Very fun.

And if you are interested in thinking more about it then I am interested in hearing/discussing more about it too. Because I really think the Pillar/Affinity/Utterance system is too good, too fun, to be kept only by Mummies.

To use Utterances, they'd need a little more. That was summed up with talk about Sekhem Sorcerers. Maybe they use a Relic for virtual Sekhem, maybe they set up a ritual space and pick up the Entombed Glory Affinity to boost their virtual Sekhem, maybe they stick to Choir Unleashings with other sorcerers.

It isn't easy. But such is the cost to grasp at the power of gods.