Wednesday 23 August 2023

Remedies

This is an idea I've teased for a while, and will be making its full debut in the next release of the Mythic Bastionland playtest, which you can expect around the start of September.

This release will also come with... something cool.

Remedies make up the third part of the trinity when it comes to recovering from Virtue Loss, something that's bound to happen to your Knights. Previously recovering your Virtues required visiting a specific type of Landmark or performing a specific action. So recovering WIT required visiting a Sanctum or receiving guidance from a Seer. 

Remedies are a third method of recovery, representing consumable wares that can be broken into while travelling, offering a specific type of relief.

Sustenance restores your Vigour, representing nourishing food and drink.

Stimulants restore your Wit, representing herbal and alchemical substances.

Sacraments restore your Grace, representing components used in ritual or performance.

These require a whole Phase of the day to use and benefit all company present. It's as much about the experience as the actual material contents. Cracking open that local delicacy you've been saving for a shared meal, savouring it over time and conversation. That's what restores your Vigour, not just the act of eating some food. 

They also add some nice meat to the trade system, functioning as a broad representation of trade goods that the players want for themselves but which carry their own value, especially when taken further from their point of origin. A settlement that has no Sanctum or Seer nearby would highly value any Stimulants that can be brought in.

I'm tinkering with some guidance to prevent Knights stockpiling too many remedies. At the moment it's just a vague mention that hoarding stuff is Unknightly, while generosity is held as a noble trait. I thought about placing a hard limit on the number of Remedies a Company can carry, but it feels at odds with the way I tend to write games. 

As always, testing will tell.

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2 comments:

  1. Had a quick gander at the rules and love 'em. Definitely scratches my 'Pendragon' itch. Have you thought about players siring sons and daughters, or did I miss that?

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    Replies
    1. At the moment there's some loose guidance on establishing a successor for when your character retires or dies, but that's not something I'm planning on addressing in much detail.

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