First of all, some remarks on the relationship between points and Story Elements.
I'd like to clarify that paying points for a Story Element does not prevent its destruction, nor does it mean that the Story Element will function everywhere.
Points paid for a Story Element represent not any degree of Reality in the Story Element, but their involvement in the story. The more points you invest in a Story Element, the more important the Story Element is to your character, and the more things will happen to you involving that Story Element.
The non-functioning, loss, or even destruction of the Element can be just as much a part of the story as normal use can be.
Story Elements can also have powers you do not pay for, either by you specifically describing them or by me adding them (in which case you won't even know they are there until it is too late...)
You can even pay more points for a Story Element than it is 'worth' in terms of power if you think that that better reflects the importance of the Story Element. However, Shadow stuff tends to take on little bits of power simply by hanging around Amberites for a while. So in the long run your favourite, paid for, waist-coat may acquire special, unexpected powers....
While we are on the topic, here is an 'adjustment' to the rules on Story Elements to allow Stuff to be applied to them, at the same time providing characters with another way to grab a few extra points.
Story elements (but not Shadows) can have Stuff associated with them, either Good or Bad. Some of the effects of any non-zero Stuff must be described as part of the description of the element. Other effects will be provided by the Story Guide.
If the story element is intelligent, the Stuff acts both as luck/karma and as personality. Otherwise, it acts as luck/karma alone. In either case, this luck/karma specifically applies to the relationship between the character and the Story Element.
There is no limit to the amount of Good Stuff you can pay for an element to have in addition to its usual powers.
There is a limit to the amount of Bad Stuff you can put on a Story Element. You can't put more Bad Stuff into a Story Element than it is 'worth' in terms of points.
At first sight this might seem like a great way to get an extra 20 points or so. But remember, every point of Bad Stuff counts against your character, even if it is spent on your horse rather than on you. The Stuff is simply applied more specifically than usual.
If you want to change the amount of Stuff on a Story Element, remember to put that on your Wish list. For non-intelligent Story Elements this represents the character's decision to attempt change their relationship to the Story Element. For intelligent Story Elements, this also represents a change in the personality of the Story Element.
Now, the question arises: how do these two things combine? If you spend only 2 points on a 6 point horse, does that mean you _have_ to have 4 points of Bad Stuff allocated to it?
Nope.
Story elements (and their points) are always owned by someone. So you don't _have_ to spend Bad Stuff on the horse. Someone else has will own the extra 4 points if you don't.
Maybe more if I think the story needs it :)
Item Bad Stuff might be said to measure the gap between your character's desire to own the item right NOW and their actual control over it.
Bad Stuff is only assigned when there is a (more or less) conscious desire on the character's part to control the story element quickly and easily. (So the player should also be able to tell when this will happen!)
So if you really want to own the horse, and aren't willing to wait while you gradually assert control over it, you can assign Bad Stuff to it, up to the 'worth' of the horse.
Any questions?
| Saturday, January 24, 1998 |
|
Want more? |
Get your own Free Home Page