Sept Tasks and Personal Projects
See +bbread 2 [Coming HR: ‘You Can Only Do So Much’] for the background behind this system, as well as [Time Economy: You Can Only Do So Much] for the explanation of the system we are now using. A chapter is a roughly ten day interval from the 5th of each month to the 15th -> from the 15th to the 25th -> and from the 25th to the 5th again.
This system will be a way for players to describe what their characters are doing in a given chapter during their ‘downtime’ activities, measure the successes or failures, and receive meaningful feedback. This will help bring these vague elements of a Garou’s life to the forefront of your character’s thoughts, and also incorporate them into your XP spend justifications. For the most part, these will constitute Routine Tasks, though circumstances may turn them into a Major Task and are indicated.
Gnosis Bargains: An often overlooked method of regaining Gnosis (in part due to needing an ST) that can now be solved as a Routine Task once per chapter for characters. Characters with the ability to communicate with spirits (or partner with someone who can) can seek out a spirit for the bargain. The character will perform an appropriate task for the spirit during the chapter and then choose a negotiation roll based on the characters style (attribute) and method (ability). Certain backgrounds may substitute for an ability. Note: in order to have this +gain approved, it does require a proper, thought-out justification that explains your character’s actions. The task should cause a Garou to go out of their way to accommodate the minor inconvenience, and be appropriate for the type of spirit you seek (eg: a water-spirit in the LA river may ask you clean debris out of it for the next week). Finally, the Gnosis is recovered after the task is complete (at the end of the chapter when the job closes).
Talen Creation: Similar to bargains for Gnosis, the process of talen creation involves either Summoning or tracking down a particular spirit, negotiating a bargain for its service, preparing the vessel for housing, and then Binding the spirits to create the Talens after the task has been completed. A character can only roll to perform the Rite a number of times equal to half their Rituals rating (rounded up) per chapter as a Routine Task. The same process of justification is required for Talen creation, and modifiers to the roll’s difficulty and final results will be set by the ST based on the process the character is taking. Note that while the Garou consider the aggressive forced binding of spirits into Talens acceptable (being temporary in nature), it can carry social consequences with the spirits. In a similar vein, holding onto a talen for an excessive length of time is also considered callous by the spirits.
Fetish Creation: As Talen Creation, but turns into a Major Task lasting for a number of chapters equal to the level of the item. Additionally, the process needs to be roleplayed out with someone who has the Rite of the Fetish.
Gift Learning: Going forward, a character can only learn one Gift per chapter. This will be a Routine Task if the character is able to Summon and negotiate with a spirit, but will become a Major Task if you have to do it the old-fashioned way of going out into the spirit wilds and tracking them down. Additionally, learning a Gift from another player is a Major Task that takes three chapters and roleplayed scenes on the part of both Garou to complete. See the HR page on the website for more information.
Rite Learning: Learning Rites is already house ruled in a way that is very similar to this chapter task system. As a reminder: a character can learn one Rite at a time, over a number of chapters equal to the level of the Rite. (Minor Rites take half a chapter.) In a chapter, the Instructor can only teach one concurrent Rite per every dot in their Instruction ability, and must have a Rituals or Mentor level equal to the level of the Rite that is being taught. See the HR page on the website for more information.
Plot Tasks: Going forward, +requests involving Sphere or Plot elements will be designated as a chapter task. Generally, if it requires more than one response from the ST, it will constitute a Major Task lasting for as long as the job plays out. While you may have several Major Tasks you are involved in, your character can only be actively pursuing one Major Task per chapter. This will be taken into consideration when it comes to how many Routine Tasks you’re able to perform that chapter as well. (Note: certain merits or powers may allow for the pursuit of more than the norm, on a case-by-case basis.)
Skill Instructions: This is largely unchanged, but categorized as a Routine Task for mundane skills and attributes for the Instructor and the Trainee. Submit +requests as normal, making sure you’re noting who is teaching you.
The following two systems are being tested, and are subject to changes.
These last two systems will not use Willpower rolls. They’re meant more as an abstraction of the overall scenario, a test of a system I want to use to help represent these hand-waived moments. Failure will mean you’re unsuccessful at your task, suffering some minor setback for it. A botch will indicate a complete failure with some serious (but non-lethal) repercussions. At the end of the day, they’re meant to be small snippets of fun and flavor, not a distant Hand of ST smiting you. Nobody is obligated to participate in them, but if they want a little more substance for their justifications, they’re available.
Bane Hunts: This will be a once per chapter Routine Task for any of the Sept who wish to actively participate in them as a part of their excursions with the Guardian Packs. The nature of the hunt is open-ended, determined by the player and their particular talents. Does an Ahroun want to take shots with a bow at a bane encroaching on the bawn? Perception + Archery. How about a sneaky Ragabash, catching a straggler unaware with a powerful bite? Wits + Brawl. Even those who aren’t skilled in combat can come up with unique ways to approach the problem. A Galliard luring a group of them into the waiting ambush? Manipulation + Elusion. The roll should be more than your standard ‘I punch the bane with Dex+Brawl’, and represent the manner in which you approach the task (attribute), and the tools you’re using to accomplish it (ability). The difficulty can be set by the player as well, to determine the type of encounter they’re seeing; for example: standard cleanup of Minor Banes would be around Difficulty 4-5, while pursuing a powerful Scrag would be around Difficulty 8-9.
Bawn Influence: This will also be a once per chapter Routine Task, but a more free-form activity that can be tailored to the characters abilities, similar to how Vampires choose a dice roll to represent their feeding. This role encompasses the non-combat-oriented rolls that are involved in a Sept’s maintenance of their territory, such as renewing markings, keeping lookout, interacting with local spirits, or taking care of Skid Row’s mortal inhabitants. This type of roll can be performed by both Garou and Kinfolk! The roll should represent the manner in which you approach the task (attribute) and the way a character is accomplishing it (ability). If dealing specifically with Influences, the ability can be swapped out for an appropriate Influence Background, such as Allies, Contacts, etc. (Remember, once per chapter you may use your Resources as if it were a equivalently rated Ally, Contact or Retainer, to undertake any Influence action that such Backgrounds could ordinarily be used for.)