Difference between revisions of "Age of Dragons: Ambassador-Courtier"
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* '''Idea-Seeding Technique''' ''(10 XP)'' | * '''Idea-Seeding Technique''' ''(10 XP)'' | ||
On a successful persuasion attempt you can seed an idea into someone's mind rather than directly persuading them. This idea will take time to develop, and when it arrives will be considered by the target to be his own idea. A passing thought or consideration takes a few days to appear, a motivated plan takes a decade or so to manifest, and a deeply held belief or agenda takes a century to germinate. This is not a magical effect, but rather achieved through careful neurolinguistic programming, so is limited to the sort of things you could normally achieve through persuasion. | On a successful persuasion attempt you can seed an idea into someone's mind rather than directly persuading them. This idea will take time to develop, and when it arrives will be considered by the target to be his own idea. A passing thought or consideration takes a few days to appear, a motivated plan takes a decade or so to manifest, and a deeply held belief or agenda takes a century to germinate. This is not a magical effect, but rather achieved through careful neurolinguistic programming, so is limited to the sort of things you could normally achieve through persuasion. | ||
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| + | * '''Impassioned Posturing''' ''(10 XP)'' | ||
| + | In Social Conflict situations you can adopt two new ''Battle Stances'' in addition to the default ones. ''Impassioned Aggression'' gives you -2 TN to attack, but +2 TN to defence. ''Impassioned Defence'' gives you +2 TN to attack, but -2 TN to defence. | ||
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* '''Stature of Commanded Attention''' ''(10 XP)'' | * '''Stature of Commanded Attention''' ''(10 XP)'' | ||
With this Milestone you have learnt how to capture and command the notice of listeners as such that they cannot help but give you their attention, and that they are inclined not to interrupt. Any character seeking to either interrupt you while you are talking or walk out on you mid-conversation must first pass a Sophis test, at TN 4+, with a difficulty equal to your Pneuma score minus one. This is not a magical effect, so only extends to reasonable circumstance. For example, it doesn't work if someone needs to leave to escape physical threat, or has a truly vital appointment to keep, or if you are persistently interrupting them first. | With this Milestone you have learnt how to capture and command the notice of listeners as such that they cannot help but give you their attention, and that they are inclined not to interrupt. Any character seeking to either interrupt you while you are talking or walk out on you mid-conversation must first pass a Sophis test, at TN 4+, with a difficulty equal to your Pneuma score minus one. This is not a magical effect, so only extends to reasonable circumstance. For example, it doesn't work if someone needs to leave to escape physical threat, or has a truly vital appointment to keep, or if you are persistently interrupting them first. | ||
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===Arcane Lore=== | ===Arcane Lore=== | ||
Revision as of 10:05, 2 June 2008
Age Of Dragons: Main Page -> Age Of Dragons: Lifepaths -> Ambassador-Courtier
Contents
Overview
Words cut deeper than claws
It had been an interesting month for the Solar Ambassador-Courtier called Voice-of-Reason. He'd convinced a belligerent Argent Dragon to lend his armies to defend the borders of a neighbouring Pure Dragon, and convinced that same self righteous Pure Dragon to accept that help. In doing so, he'd had to convince both that they were doing him a personal favour, which he in turn would repay by persuading a visiting Ashen Dragon scholar to share the scrolls of lore that he had researched. Of course, this meant giving the Ashen Dragon what he wanted, which was help in getting a pack of Hunter Dragons to lay off harrying his cities. This would be achieved, of course, when the Hunters saw a mass of Argent War Dragons setting up a wayfort on the edge of their sky tribe's territory. Of course, once the Ascendancy threat was dealt with, the Solar could earn a favour off the Hunters by "arranging" for the Argents to go home.
Everyone would benefit, and the only reward for Voice-of-Reason would be the general goodwill of all parties, and the satisfaction of coordinating the war against the Ascendancy. That, of course, and the small measure of wealth that the Solar could earn by having his merchants supply the moving Argent army, the sale of the fort building materials he'd been assidiously stockpiling and the opportunity to converse formally with the Ashen Dragon, and plant some seeds of ideas there to be used and abused in a decade or two once they had time to germinate.
Most importantly, the Argent response would lead to the assured abd violent death of Hungry-for-Battle, the Ascendancy general in charge of the assault. That Blood Dragon had duelled with Voice of Reason no less than one hundred and fifty years ago, and left a nasty claw-scar on the Solar's left cheek. It had taken a lot of work to see the Blood Dragon moved up the list of generals to lead this raid, to assure that the Ascendancy force would be inadequate for the job, and to position the surrounding factions so that the Ascendancy would be cut off from retreat after this attack.
Negotiation, persuasion and the art of manipulation - these were the tools and weapons of this Ambassador-Courtier, and as Hungry-Claw would soon discover, words could cut far deeper than claws.
The Ambassador-Courtier Lifepath
Dragons are socially adept creatures, with even the most brutish of dragons able to play games of intrigue and manipulation at a level far beyond those of mortals.
Whereas a human might be pleased to persuade an adversary to adopt a certain course of action for the next year, or to socially outmanoeuvre someone in court, Dragons play out their social conflicts on far greater levels. With words in the right places, a dragon can cause kingdoms to topple or enemies to be ostracised from society. They can smear the most loved hero as a traitor, or bring the most unlikely allies into the fold. Likewise, a Dragon will happily work over much larger timescales to achieve his goals, recognising that a major victory that takes one hundred and fifty years is likely worth a lot more than one hundred and fifty trivial victories that take a year each.
Milestones
Lifepath Sphere Variations
- Manipulator (20 XP)
If you have taken this Milestone you gain +1 dice to all social dice rolls relating to empathy, direct persuasion, face to face manipulation and direct intimidation. Essentially, any task of social interaction involving face-to-face one-on-one contact is enhanced by this Milestone. In Social Conflicts, this Milestone enhances Direct Attacks only.
- Orator (20 XP)
If you have taken this Milestone you gain +1 dice to all social dice rolls relating to addressing passive targets (i.e. those that are just listening to you rather than arguing back). In Social Conflicts, this Milestone enhances attacks against passive targets only.
- Puppetmaster (20 XP)
If you have taken this Milestone you gain +1 dice to all social dice rolls relating to indirect manipulation, long term trend-setting, propaganda campaigning and the like. Essentially, any task of social interaction involving indirect effect is enhanced by this Milestone. In Social Conflicts, this Milestone enhances Direct Attacks only.
Talents
- Idea-Seeding Technique (10 XP)
On a successful persuasion attempt you can seed an idea into someone's mind rather than directly persuading them. This idea will take time to develop, and when it arrives will be considered by the target to be his own idea. A passing thought or consideration takes a few days to appear, a motivated plan takes a decade or so to manifest, and a deeply held belief or agenda takes a century to germinate. This is not a magical effect, but rather achieved through careful neurolinguistic programming, so is limited to the sort of things you could normally achieve through persuasion.
- Impassioned Posturing (10 XP)
In Social Conflict situations you can adopt two new Battle Stances in addition to the default ones. Impassioned Aggression gives you -2 TN to attack, but +2 TN to defence. Impassioned Defence gives you +2 TN to attack, but -2 TN to defence.
- Phrase of Fascination (10 XP)
You can subtly weight a single phrase within your arguments, so others will remember it above all others. This phrase has no inherent power in itself, and is not a command as such, but rather a sticky meme that listeners cannot shake and will persistently come to mind for them in years to come. For example, you could weight the phrase "we are all brothers, after all", and for years afterwards the listener will consider these words, perhaps slightly inclining him towards negotiation rather than war, or perhaps making him more vengeful when a comrade is wronged. This is a subtle, subconscious and non-magical effect.
- Stature of Commanded Attention (10 XP)
With this Milestone you have learnt how to capture and command the notice of listeners as such that they cannot help but give you their attention, and that they are inclined not to interrupt. Any character seeking to either interrupt you while you are talking or walk out on you mid-conversation must first pass a Sophis test, at TN 4+, with a difficulty equal to your Pneuma score minus one. This is not a magical effect, so only extends to reasonable circumstance. For example, it doesn't work if someone needs to leave to escape physical threat, or has a truly vital appointment to keep, or if you are persistently interrupting them first.
