Just thought you folks might like to see some of the discussion they
have on AOL about Heredity.

Verrucht

Subj: Bloodlines/Hereditary -2
Date: 97-03-17 23:58:13 EST
From: Silveras

Bloodlines - part 2

Where do the Categories fit in ?
The Categories represent the highest recognized "grade" of the
character's bloodline, historically. I see them as more of a scholar's label
than an attainable rank. In European history, the College of Heralds recorded
marriages among the nobility and kept records of the coats-of-arms. I would
envision a similar organization tracking the marriages among the blooded
families of Cerilia, and assigning such categories to the various bloodlines.

As a result of which, it is only necessary to roll for the bloodline
rank when creating a new family. All full, and most half-, siblings of the
character will automatically start with the same rank, derivation, and
strength anyway. All children of the character will have the rank,
derivation, and strength determined by the rules as stated previously. The
character's parents can be worked out from the character's own starting blood
abilities.

How Do 'Proper' bloodlines get passed on ?
'Proper' bloodlines are passed from the stronger parent to the children.
Therefore, the weaker bloodline always "marries into" the stronger. This can
be a good role-playing point in Cerilian campaigns, and allows for more
active and influential female characters than in the typical historical
model.
'Proper' bloodlines remain 'proper' until a character achieves a
bloodline strength higher than that of the present holder of the bloodline
and manifests a new ability. For example, Darien Avan has a daughter. She
also has the Avan 'proper' bloodline, and possesses the Avan dragon
birthmark. Her bloodline will remain 'proper' until she raises her bloodline
score higher than Darien's score and obtains a new ability. At that point,
she will have "established" her own (new) 'proper' bloodline. It is still, in
that case, related to, and a variant of, the Avan bloodline, but it is no
longer the same. If Darien were to also raise his bloodline score after his
daughter had done so, and also achieved a new power, it would not necessarily
be the same power. There is now a "cadet branch" of the Avan family.

A Note on Investiture in these Cases
Investiture, when used to pass a 'proper' bloodline on, can override a
willing recipient's bloodline derivation. If Darien were to Invest his
daughter with his bloodline, her "cadet branch" would be wiped out in favor
of the invested bloodline, if she agreed for it to do so.

Tainted and Minor Bloodlines
Note that, under these requirements, it is quite easy for a Tainted or
Minor bloodline to have another Tainted or Minor offshoot appear. It is
uncommon for a child of a Major, Great, or True bloodline to exceed the
strength of an active parent, but it has happened. For this reason, there is
less attention paid to marriages among Tainted and Minor bloodlines, and the
records are far less complete.

cont'd

Subj: Bloodlines/Hereditary-3
Date: 97-03-17 23:58:43 EST
From: Silveras

Bloodlines - part 3

So, What does this mean in Cerilia ?
Well, it means that you only have to roll up the strongest point in the
bloodline's history. Thereafter, the family will follow the same pattern of
abilities until the present holder achieves a higher strength, or a cadet
branch is formed.

Example: Claude Gallaudet
Claude is a new character from the Imperial City. He has a Minor
bloodline, meaning that his family had been, at one time, minor nobility.
However, his bloodline strength is 12, somewhat more in keeping with a rating
of Tainted. Probably, Claude's blooded parent married a commoner, weakening
the bloodline.
Claude rolls for 2 blood abilities, and receives only 1: Alertness.
The DM, or Claude, wishing to know something of the Gallaudet family
history, could roll on the 20-28 strength bracket for a 3rd chance at a boood
ability (Minor bloodlines max out their strength at 30, so 28 is a reasonable
cutoff for the family history). Whatever the outcome of this roll, it would
represent: 1) The next ability that Claude Gallaudet would achieve, and 2)
the extent of what Claude's forebears had been capable of. In this case, the
DM should probably also randomly determine at what point in the 20-28
strength range this ability was achieved, and award it at that time.

Bloodmark
Bloodmark becomes a bit of a wrinkle here, in that it can appear in the
mix of hereditary abilities at any time. A Great bloodline could suddenly
manifest a blodmark that was never there before. Such an event, however, can
be remedied by a little work on the DM's part. I would suggest that
bloodmark, or any other obviously hereditary ability that is introduced, be
swapped to the front of the order of the character's ability acquisition.
Whether it was the first, or the last, ability gained within a bloodline, I
would recommend that it become the first ability gained by any children or
inheritors of that bloodline. This may mean pushing other abilities "back" a
(Continued to next message)

* 1st 2.00 #9097 * Minds & parachutes only function properly when open.