> Presumably this means that initiates are always at a penalty
> when attempting any feat, but I can't find any reference as to
> what this penalty should be. -2? -5? -10? And that feats not in
> the description of the cult are even harder?
I have read enough to believe that the intent was that an Affinity can be rolled 'straight' as an Augment, but that Feats must be used at a penalty. So Vinga's Movement Affinity 5W could be used as an augment to any movement Ability at 5W, or at a penalty to Run Across Treetops. You only get the truly 'magical' effects with a penalty, but the Affinity still helps boost mundane Abilities. Tied in with this, I also use the rules discussed some time ago that the mundane world only resists Feats with a basic resistance, usually 14. Thus, Run Across Treetops is resisted by only 14 (assuming you are not using it in a contest against someone else using another Ability), Leap Across Water by only 14 plus the magical distance penalty, Mile Javelin Throw really MEANS 'Mile', etc. You don't get this effect with an Augment using the full Affinity rating.
Tied to this, I allow Initiates to use specific Feats at a penalty of -10. It's quite heavy, but they have the full use of the Affinity for Augments. Additional Feats need not be any harder, it depends on (in character) how well-known and frequently used, and how often the worshipper has seen, the Feat. Or, (out of character) how good a Feat, how fitting to the deity, and how much different to the other Feats it is. For example, we know Vinga uses a sword to chop people's heads off (well, she chopped the giant's head off in the myth in Storm Tribe), so 'Decapitate Foe' might be just -10 Improvisation, - 15 if you think that was a one-off situation. But I've never read any Vingan tales where she used a bow and arrows, so 'Arrow Sureshot' might be -15 or -20.
> Secondly, I am also presuming that Devotees can improvise
> feats not in the list in the cult description?
Yes. I personally require the character 'prove' he knows a Feat first by rolling Mythology (why should a character with only basic knowledge of his deity suddenly be the expert just because the player thought of it? That's just using out-of-character knowledge, and that's just cheating...). Remember, Thunder rebels (or was it Storm Tribe?) states that learning a new Feat is a Hero Quest, although it doesn't say whether this has to be done before Improvising, or to Cement... Incidently, I guess Initiates can Improvise feats not on the list too, just at an additional penalty.
> I don't like the idea of players always rolling against an ability
> with an automatic penalty
I allow full Ability for Augments, penalties only for use of specific Feats.
Wulf
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