Re: Sedenyic Myth Hacking. from Roderick and Ellen Robertson on 2003-04-09 (HeroQuest-Rules)

From: Roderick and Ellen Robertson <rjremr_at_...>
Date: Wed, 9 Apr 2003 11:47:20 -0700

> 1. Roll 'Mythology of Natha' or 'Sedenyic Philosophy', whichever
> is higher, augmenting whith the lower of the two abilities.
> Opposing Difficulty is 10.
>
> 2. On a Complete Success you can use your own Otherworld affinity
> at full value for a 'Track Through Otherworlds' attempt. For each
> level of success down from a Complete Success, you'd be -5.
>
> 3. Also on a Complete Success I'll let you cement that by spending
> 2 Hero Points (or Character Points) and get Track Through
> Otherworlds as a permanent Feat.
>
> This is serious myth hacking, and not easy, and potentialy quite
> dangerous. No promises, but it's certainly possible.

I'd ask the player to put up a feat/ability and make this a type of HeroQuest Encounter situation - on success, you get to use the ability/cement it as you state above. I notice you have nothing in case of failure, so the ability being wagered gets similar penalties (say -5 temporary penalty for [level of defeat] in weeks or -5x [level of defeat] temp penalty for one week; complete defeat = lose ability totally as the other entity finds that she has a use for "Courtly Poetry" or whatever).

Also, I think the resistance is too low - only 10? This is *someone* (or some*thing*) you're getting the ability from, not just plucking it out of thin air. Obviously you want to make it a possibility for your player to do, but even a 17 in Nathic Philosophy has a good chance of getting the ability temporarily - even without using an HP to bump it. Make the contest more 50-50 by setting the resistance close to Alicia's own ability rating, or even a little higher than hers - make her work for it.

Personally, *I* wouldn't want to encourage this sort of myth hacking - "Oh, now I need to endure this pain, so I'll just "borrow" a feat from Gerra for a while, she won't miss it, honest, and "We're All Us", so it's okay."

As you note, this is "Stealing" (whether this was intentional wording on your part I don't know - if it wasn't intentional, then it reveals how you feel about it :-) ).

It is by my order and for the good of the state that the bearer of this has done what he has done.
- Richelieu