Polemos: 8th Age - Aspects

Aspects

IMPORTANT NOTE: This document has not been finalized yet and may change in the future

General Aspects

Being is a member of the anthegal race.

Being has a fully artificial body. Disconnected from the usual human experiences, many see major swings in personality or core beliefs that organic races find strange or even dangerous.

  • Effect: Add magic stunted affliction. Choose one [artificial] affliction.

Being originates from the spiritual realms outside of the physical world.

Being is a member of the construct race.

Demonic sek-agkelos who serve evil spirits and seek to dominate weaker spirits, ultimately to overthrow the power of the Creator or relish their own particular evil without concern for others.

Being is a member of the dragoon race.

Literally "Voice of Dragon" - drakuncion represent the majority of dragoons and are spiritually linked with their clan's guardian dragon.

  • Effect: Learn spirit link ritual ability with guardian dragon - work with the GM to determine identity. -1 received vitality and stamina damage (minimum one), +2 received focus damage.

Being is fully in a state of imperfection or sin.

  • Effect: Choose two [corruption] afflictions.

Being has a dominant hand that they prefer to use in most, if not all, situations.

  • Effect: Pick a hand (or roll 2D6 - if less than 10 pick right hand, otherwise pick left hand). Add off hand affliction to all other hands.

Being is a member of the human race.

Being may be killed, but does not physically age beyond maturity and will never die of old age.

Being ages and will eventually die of natural causes.

Being originates from the physical world.

Allows access to all reachable wireless networks. Allows plugging into wired networks.

Literally "Voice of Nothing" - dragoons without a spirit link are often viewed with contempt or the absolute dregs of society.

Being is biological and is able to use magic that requires more than just mental focus.

  • Effect: If being replaces all body areas with prosthetics they lose all racial aspects and add all construct racial aspects.

Literally "Voice of Truth" - orthophon are dragoons that seek to halt the backwards traditions of the dragons by following the Hero of the Orthodox Church.

  • Effect: Remove prosthetic restriction from head, neck, and abdomen.

From an ancient word for the first tyrants that relished in their superiority over the common man, anthegals claim the title nephilim for themselves both as an boast of their special abilities, and as a reminder of the evil that would result were they to abuse that power.

  • Effect: Choose one [corruption] affliction. For abilities with MP cost, increase total MP cost by one. Reduce magic backlash total severity by one (minimum one). Body areas that produce metabolic energy produce +1 energy. If, at the GM's discretion, the character commits any evil act replace with stained nephilim aspect.

Angels of chaos, sek-agkelos have freed themselves from the spiral of evil but can not regain the perfection they had as aeliokos. Doomed to wander without a master to serve, the spiritual fate of sek-agkelos kind is unclear.

  • Effect: Choose two [corruption] afflictions. If, at the GM's discretion, the character gives up on redemption replace with daimonas aspect.

Being is a member of the shapeshifter race.

Anthegals that fall to evil are overcome with the same form of the sickness that turns sek-agkelos to blighted daimonas, albeit in a milder form. This usually makes the anthegal physically weaker, but more in tune with their supernatural power. The term stained nephilim comes from the fact that the fallen anthegals often take their pure brethren's obsession with bloodlines to an even more extreme, which in turn leads to bloodshed.

  • Effect: Choose two [corruption] afflictions. Reduce fatigue track thresholds by one. For abilities with MP cost, reduce total MP cost by one (minimum one). -1 metabolic energy produced per body area (minimum zero). If, at the GM's discretion, the character genuinely seeks redemption replace with pure nephilim aspect.

Backgrounds

You actively supported the Alia Erendu Ayin during the Agathonian civil war. Perhaps you served as an militiaman, spied on another faction, or collaborated when they occupied their hometown.

  • Effect: Add one [aea] or [veteran] affliction. Add one [aea] talent.

You actively supported the Crusaders of Liberty during the Agathonian civil war. Perhaps you served as an crusader, spied on another faction, or collaborated when they occupied their hometown.

  • Effect: Add one [col] or [veteran] affliction. Add one [col] talent.

You actively supported the Free Company Confederacy during the Agathonian civil war. Perhaps you served in a Free Company, spied on another faction, or collaborated when they occupied their hometown.

  • Effect: Add one [fcc] or [veteran] affliction. Add one [fcc] talent.

You actively supported the Freedom Defense Council during the Agathonian civil war. Perhaps you served in the Michael's Crusade, spied on another faction, or collaborated when they occupied their hometown.

  • Effect: Add one [fdc] or [veteran] affliction. Add one [fdc] talent.

You actively supported the Filos Provincial Assembly during the Agathonian civil war. Perhaps you served in the provincial guard, spied on another faction, or collaborated when they occupied their hometown.

  • Effect: Add one [fpa] or [veteran] affliction. Add one [fpa] talent.

You actively supported the Free Polus Union during the Agathonian civil war. Perhaps you served in the Community Defense Forces, spied on another faction, or collaborated when they occupied their hometown.

  • Effect: Add one [fpu] or [veteran] affliction. Add one [fpu] talent.

You actively supported Free Vernick during the Agathonian civil war. Perhaps you served in the army, spied on another faction, or collaborated when they occupied their hometown.

  • Effect: Add one [free vernick] or [veteran] affliction. Add one [free vernick] talent.

You actively supported the Filonian Reunification Front during the Agathonian civil war. Perhaps you served in the Free Company, spied on another faction, or collaborated when they occupied their hometown.

  • Effect: Add one [frf] or [veteran] affliction. Add one [frf] talent.

You actively supported the Phyirn Syndicate during the Agathonian civil war. Perhaps you served as an enforcer, spied on another faction, or collaborated when they occupied their hometown.

  • Effect: Add one [phyirn syndicate] or [veteran] affliction. Add one [phyirn syndicate] talent.

You actively supported the Republic of Vernick during the Agathonian civil war. Perhaps you served in the army, spied on another faction, or collaborated when they occupied their hometown.

  • Effect: Add one [republic of vernick] or [veteran] affliction. Add one [republic of vernick] talent.

You actively supported the Royal Filos Defense Force during the Agathonian civil war. Perhaps you served in the King' Army, spied on another faction, or collaborated when they occupied their hometown.

  • Effect: Add one [rfdf] or [veteran] affliction. Add one [rfdf] talent.

You actively supported the Senate during the Agathonian civil war. Perhaps you served in the Republic Army, spied on another faction, or collaborated when they occupied their hometown.

  • Effect: Add one [senate] or [veteran] affliction. Add one [senate] talent.

You were a member (citizen), or actively supported the United Security Command during the Agathonian civil war. Perhaps you served as a security member (soldier), spied on another faction, or collaborated when they occupied their hometown.

  • Effect: Add one [usc] or [veteran] affliction. Add one [usc] talent.

You were once a member (citizen) of the United Security Command sent to the Polus front in some capacity, but somehow defected to another nation in Agathos.

  • Effect: Add USC defector status talent. Add one other [usc defector] or [veteran] affliction. Add one [usc defector] talent.

While others spend time learning practical languages, you've focused on academic or mystical languages instead.

  • Effect: Remove all non-native languages. Add a total of 1.5x fluency rating removed between dead or academically valuable languages. May add literacy in all scripts for each chosen language.

Survivor of many battles; your scars are deep but have made your stronger.

  • Effect: Add one [veteran] affliction. Add one talent.

Talents

Agathonian Civil War Talents

  • Requirements: FCC or FDC or Senate or COL
  • Effect: +2 attitude modifier for cultural arthenians.

  • Requirements: FPA or FRF or RFDF
  • Effect: +2 attitude modifier for cultural filonians.

  • Requirements: free vernick or republic of vernick
  • Effect: +2 attitude modifier for ethnic vernick.

  • Requirements: phyirn syndicate
  • Effect: +2 attitude modifier for ethnic pyrkagians.

  • Requirements: AEA
  • Effect: +2 attitude modifier for anthegals.

  • Requirements: USC
  • Effect: +2 attitude modifier for USC members.

  • Requirements: USC defector
  • Effect: +1 attitude modifier for non-USC members; -6 attribute modifier for USC members.

Often lacking armor or air support, Free Companies rely on individual marksmanship and small-unit tactics.

  • Requirements: FCC
  • Effect: +2 target shooting skill modifier.

Typically mustered from small towns or rural areas, Free Companies are used to defending wide open spaces.

  • Requirements: FCC
  • Effect: +1D6 [perception] rolls when in a non-urban environment.

Since the coup d'etat the FDC has been famous for its effectiveness in surprise attacks.

  • Requirements: FDC
  • Effect: +1 damage modifier when using [stealthy] abilities.

Coming from the cream of the old republic's armed forces, FDC forces are known to train harder and longer than their peers.

  • Requirements: FDC
  • Effect: Increase fatigue required for fatigue conditions by 1.

Recruiting heavily from the nation's universities and technical school, the FPU's networks are state of the art.

  • Requirements: FPU
  • Effect: +2 networking skill modifier.

FPU politics revolves around how to ease the woes of the common worker.

  • Requirements: FPU
  • Effect: +2 attitude modifier for working class or poor individuals.

Defenders of the Republic, Senate forces are skilled in fighting from barricades and other defensive structures.

Many in the business world appreciate the Senate's commitment to economic stability, as well as their deep pockets.

  • Requirements: Senate
  • Effect: +3 attitude modifier for businessmen and entrepreneurs.

In the Siege of Granton, provincial guard troops fought against overwhelming numbers by using traps and other clever ruses.

  • Requirements: FPA
  • Effect: +2 stealth skill modifier in urban environments.

With little popular support, the FPA focuses much attention to keeping good diplomatic relations with non-Filonian factions.

  • Requirements: FPA
  • Effect: +2 speaking skill modifier.

With low manpower compared to the RFDF, FRF squads used 4-man squads to their advantage by developing tight-knit formations and tactics.

  • Requirements: FRF
  • Effect: +2 [tactics] skill modifier when in a squad of 4 or less individuals.

While officially supporting the heretical Royal Church of Holies, the FRF learned from their religious purges of the early war and often sees religious matters as "live and let live".

  • Requirements: FRF
  • Effect: +2 attitude modifier for religious minorities and non-religious individuals.

With years of fighting invested into the Siege of Granton, royal forces are veterans of close hand-to-hand fighting.

  • Requirements: RFDF
  • Effect: +1 maneuverability; +1 [melee] skill modifier.

Believers in the benefits of being ruled by the well-bred, royalists hone the skills necessary to properly show respect to their betters.

  • Requirements: RFDF
  • Effect: +3 attitude modifier for aristocracy and social elites.

With extended medic training for all soldiers rank corporal or above - Free Vernick has the best troop survivability numbers of any faction.

  • Requirements: free vernick
  • Effect: Add two tier 1 [medicine] abilities.

Without apology Free Vernick is ruled by captains of industry, and makes it clear to all who willing to listen that Vernick is open for business.

  • Requirements: free vernick
  • Effect: +1D6 to [persuasion] rolls when using the negotiate ability.

After nationalizing all corporations related to the cybernetics industry, General-Chairman Drunist poured grant money into research hoping to yield better combat output.

  • Requirements: republic of vernick
  • Effect: +1 electric energy generation from [generator] implants.

General-Chairman Drunist, as father of the republic, trains his citizens in the virtues necessary to achieve victory. Chief among these (after loyalty to Drunist, of course) is discipline and mental focus.

  • Requirements: republic of vernick
  • Effect: +2 maximum focus.

Even before the war, the syndicate protected their communities by hook or by crook, though they did so regardless of whether their style of protection was popular or not.

  • Requirements: phyirn syndicate
  • Effect: +2 intimidation skill modifier.

The syndicate is known to have sister chapters across Agathos, and is known to associate even with criminal organizations internationally.

  • Requirements: phyirn syndicate
  • Effect: +3 attitude modifier for criminals.

While the AEA is by no means a peaceful faction, it has shown remarkable discipline in avoiding civilian casualties and treating occupied territory justly.

  • Requirements: aea
  • Effect: +1 attitude modifier for civilians.

With dueling a favorite pastime of AEA leadership, many in the militia spend hours learning ancient anthegal blade techniques.

  • Requirements: aea
  • Effect: +1 melee damage.

With the primary objective to keep places of worship secure from all threats, COL soldiers often gain respect from their communities.

  • Requirements: COL
  • Effect: +2 leadership skill modifier.

With a deep history of persecution by secular authorities, many orthodox disregard the UO's official condemnation of their actions and instead see them as doing God's work.

  • Requirements: COL
  • Effect: +2 attitude modifier for orthodox individuals.

With a state built upon the consensus of networked Divine Machines, the USC spends significant resources promoting the skills necessary to build the most secure networks on the planet.

  • Requirements: USC
  • Effect: +2 information security skill modifier.

As the champion of constructionism, the USC state media is tasked with informing the world of any and all instances of anti-construct sentiment, and with the same breath announcing their liberal construct immigration policy.

  • Requirements: USC
  • Effect: +2 attitude modifier for constructs.

Anthegal Powers

Anthegal soldiers are often provided with a standard load-out of life-saving bionics.

  • Requirements: Anthegal
  • Effect: Add microtourniquet implant to all non-vital body areas.

Since the birth of the high men race, they have had the ability to peer into the hearts of lesser men and judge their worthiness.

With as culture steeped in ethics education and orthodox religion; anthegals often seek to guard reality against the dangers of magic, and are sometimes trained in anti-magi techniques.

  • Requirements: Anthegal
  • Effect: Add 2 magic armor to all body areas.

Through a combination of innate vigor, world-class medical care, and a culture of fitness and health; anthegals often shrug off injuries in superhuman fashion.

  • Requirements: Anthegal
  • Effect: +1 maximum HP to chest and abdomen.

A proud warrior race, anthegals are at the forefront of military tactics.

  • Requirements: Anthegal
  • Effect: Add two tier 1 [combat] or [information] abilities.

Construct Powers

Many cybernetics research firms pay stipends to volunteers who beta test experimental hardware.

  • Requirements: Construct
  • Effect: Add 2000c.

A favorite of front-line combat constructs, after-market chassis reinforcement acts to buttress armor.

  • Requirements: Construct
  • Effect: Installed [armor] implants have +2 initial armor value.

With a subsidy provided by civilian employers, interpreter constructs often install wide-bandwidth linguistic processors.

  • Requirements: Construct
  • Effect: Installed [translator] implants have +2 language pack capacity.

In a world of IWAR, many constructs take great interest in self-maintenance and hardening of network interfaces.

  • Requirements: Construct
  • Effect: +1D6 [hacking defense] rolls.

To prevent accidental homicide, most cybernetic limbs run sophisticated limiters that lower applied kinetic force closer to human norms. Naturally, many combat constructs learn to disable these.

Dragoon Powers

Dragoons are trained in the ways of the clan at an early age.

  • Requirements: Dragoon
  • Effect: Add two tier 1 [combat] or [supernatural] abilities.

Beginning military drills that involve high-altitude runs at an early age, dragoons can achieve a level of stamina other can only dream of.

  • Requirements: Dragoon
  • Effect: Increase all fatigue track thresholds by 3.

Dragoons are able to leap to superhuman heights with ease.

To retain their beloved birth swords in the modern world, some dragoons have developed superhuman reflexes to reliably use them even in gun fights.

Trained in blades from an early age, dragoons practice drawing their birth sword until it is done without thought in an instant.

General Talents

  • Effect: Remove all off hand afflictions.

  • Effect: +3 maximum stamina.

  • Effect: +3 maximum focus.

Human Powers

Humans more than other races fight to win, regardless of fair play.

Other races envy the human ability to continue fighting even when the odds are stacked against them.

Humans are naturally industrious and have a good head for business.

Operating a truly global economy, humans are often well-connected even in foreign lands.

  • Requirements: Human
  • Effect: Add 1000c; add fluency rating 8 in an additional language with literacy in all common scripts for the language.

Humans, more than any other race, can adapt to make their surroundings into a "new normal". This includes their bodies.

  • Requirements: Human
  • Effect: Choose one installed implant. Target implant has all passive costs (energy, FP, SP, etc.) reduced by 1 (minimum 0). The affected implant may be re-chosen at any time.

Sek-Agkelos Powers

Beings at home with incorporeal existence, the failings of the body often go unnoticed by the sek-agkelos.

  • Requirements: Sek-Agkelos
  • Effect: Each time you take vitality or stamina damage, reduce that damage by one (minimum zero).

Not healthy enough to be used for overland flight, a sek-agkelos's wings may still be usable for short flutters.

  • Requirements: Sek-Agkelos
  • Effect: Add fly and land abilities.

After much time, sek-agkelos eventually gain some measure of tolerance to the physical world.

  • Requirements: Sek-Agkelos
  • Effect: Remove 2 body areas from the body's prosthetic restriction list.

Originating from outside the natural world, sek-agkelos often feel unbound by its limitations.

  • Requirements: Sek-Agkelos
  • Effect: Add two tier 1 [supernatural] abilities.

While less then half the strength of an un-fallen angel, a powerful thrust of a sek-agkelos's wings is enough to put most men off their feet.

  • Requirements: Sek-Agkelos
  • Effect: Add wing gust ability.

Living many lifetimes wandering the world, sek-agkelos are renowned as walking encyclopedias.

  • Requirements: Sek-Agkelos
  • Effect: +1D6 scholarship skill rolls.

Shapeshifter Powers

The storybook ability to mimic any face they have seen before has served as a blessing, and a curse, to the shapeshifter race.

  • Requirements: Shapeshifter
  • Effect: Add doppelganger ability.

In mimicking animals, some shapeshifters are able to mimic traits as well as form.

  • Requirements: Shapeshifter
  • Effect: Natural eyes can see up to 10 range with thermal vision.

Fluid in spirit, shapeshifters' biology often reflects this.

Masters of subterfuge, shapeshifters are valued for defense as well as offense.

  • Requirements: Shapeshifter
  • Effect: +1D6 awareness skill rolls.

Stealth is an essential pairing to the shapeshifter's other natural abilities.

  • Requirements: Shapeshifter
  • Effect: Add ghost walk ability.

Skill Talents

  • Skill Discount: Add [talented] tag to Strength skills.

  • Skill Discount: Add [talented] tag to Agility skills.

  • Skill Discount: Add [talented] tag to Observant skills.

  • Skill Discount: Add [talented] tag to Precision skills.

  • Skill Discount: Add [talented] tag to Organization skills.

  • Skill Discount: Add [talented] tag to Intelligence skills.

  • Skill Discount: Add [talented] tag to Endurance skills.

  • Skill Discount: Add [talented] tag to Coordination skills.

  • Skill Discount: Add [talented] tag to Willpower skills.

  • Skill Discount: Add [talented] tag to Clever skills.