-----Original Message-----
From: Birthright Roleplaying Game Discussion [
<mailto:BIRTHRIGHT-L@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM>
mailto:BIRTHRIGHT-L@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM] On Behalf Of Gary
Sent: Tuesday, 17 June 2003 12:59 AM
To: BIRTHRIGHT-L@ORACLE.WIZARDS.COM
Subject: Re: More ranting against the Blood Stat [36#1445]

... but when it comes to bloodline the only times I really see that
happening is bloodtheft when one then has to address the effects of
increased bloodline and possible changes to the character`s abilities.

... Inheritance, bloodtheft, RP storage, vassalage and other aspects of
bloodline could (and several really need to) be addressed in an update
of the bloodline concept. ...

Also, I`d like to suggest that in 3e EVERYTHING is more complex. ...

Gary

I think that the bloodline system at the 2e level was quite stilted and
rigid. I`d like to see a more variated, and richer set of possibilities.
As long as the pieces fit together well however, the system does not
need to be difficult to understand, regardless of complexity. That is,
if the pieces are themselves reasonably simple, and their interaction
consistant they will be simple to use.
_____

There are some issues which have effects at both the domain and
adventure level of play. Essentially these relate to a change in a
character with respect to bloodline. Changes in a regents domain should
have no effect on the character, even though there may be changes to
play as a result.
*

Succession - a natural and inevitable process by which control
of a domain is transferred as a result of the regency becoming vacant.
*

Investiture - a magical process which attempts to modify the
natural rules of succession and inheritance
*

Bloodtheft - an accidental or deliberate forced transfer of some
or all of a blooded characters bloodline to another through violent
death - violent disruption and usurption of inheritance and succession.
*

Inheritance - the natural process through which bloodlines
transfer to new individuals

Inheritance (by the above definition) is the effect that might change
the character at the adventure level of play. Of course, investiture is
coerced inheritance and bloodtheft is inheritance by violence -- but
it`s only the actual change to the bloodline that concerns us here. That
is, at the adventure level of play - the effect on blood abilities.

There is the issue of a change in derivation. That is, a character is
gaining a new derivation, or losing an existing one, or both.
Irrespective of how such a change can occur let us treat the situation
similarly. e.g. When a character loses an existing derivation, all Blood
Abilities would be wiped out, if any. The question remains as to how to
deal with the incoming bloodline.

Further, let me propose a rule of conservation of bloodline, that is:
that the magical divine essence of the discorporate gods cannot be
destroyed or created, but is only redistributed. This does not mean that
all this essence must be attached to entities, some may be freely
available.

On the assumption of a new bloodline derivation, there are two
possibilities. First, that the bloodline comes complete with blood
abilities - call this a knowledgeable transfer, and second where it does
not.

The other issue is a change in magnitude, that is where the derivation
stays the same but the power within that derivation is changed. Again,
we can have knowledgeable transfer or not. We can also have full
transfer or a partial transfer.

_____

Bloodtheft. This will be, in my opinion, the most difficult issue to
address, so let me tackle it straight away with my own suggestion.

I`d like to see a single act of bloodtheft have an impact, but would
like to discourage wanton rampages of bloodtheft. So, I`d limit
bloodtheft so that it is only effective against a character with a
greater bloodline strength. But I`d make a successful bloodtheft a
knowledgeable transfer, so that it has an immediate effect at the
adventure level (impact). So the potential gain, (it shouldn`t be a
foregone conclusion that each bloodtheft will work) will be one or
more bloodline powers.

But, then there`s the risk involved. There`s the obvious risk of
personal combat of course, but let`s extend that -- after all reward
and risk are like partners, you can`t have the one without the other.


Even a successful bloodtheft may pose some risk. E.g. a character with
a derivation of "X" may successfully perform bloodtheft on a character
with abloodline derivation of "Y". Sure they`ll always gain one bloodline
ability (or more), but they may extinguish their own derivation in the
process. Therefore the degree of risk is larger the greater the bloodline
strength of the attacker is.

Such a system would also mean that being like the Gorgon cannot gain from
further bloodtheft, As I see it, TRUE Bloodlines outrank great bloodlines
and so are always vulnerable to any character. Of course the probability
of a true bloodline subsuming the original should also be high.
e.g. killing the spider with bloodtheft is likely to just create a new
spider.

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