Links

<-- back to General Systems

Just some suggestions about standardizing links in House Games.

Links in House Games

Links represent a connection through which supernatural abilities pass. Links are somewhat universal in type, and powers either can or cannot be used via links. If one character opens a link to another, it opens each person up to the link-based attacks and abilities of the other. In this way, links are a risky, but powerful, tool.

Characters with powers will usually possess one way to open links to others as well as some strict abilities that require links to be used.

Consider, for example, a bodyguard that forms a link with his clients via a specific power. This body-guard character also possesses several powers that can only by used via a link. Normally, these powers are only used on clients, but if another character opens up a link to the bodyguard via one of their powers, the bodyguard may use all of his relevant powers on that character, even though he didn't open the link.

Knowing who exactly you're connected to can be something of an issue. Powers that offer some small amount of information about who the character is connected to are common for characters that utilize links, but leave many questions. Some examples are the ability to sense the location of each person the character shares a link with, or their medical well-being.

While linking abilities that enable the use of link-specific powers in the character template are usually dot ones, powers that transform other abilities into link-utilizing abilities can be very powerful, and are frequently reserved for dot five. Consider the psychic link power; it (passively) allows the caster to utilize all of the powers from several paths via links and gives the caster the ability to form long-term links.

It may also be that almost all sensitive psychic powers form small, temporary links, and that the dot five link power is only noteworthy because it allows for the creation of long-term, long-distance links (this would make playing psychics a bit riskier).

For mythos casters, links are somewhat illy defined. I suggest that we make them somewhat structured and inflexible, like mythos magic itself. That means that each link has 1:1 usability: if the link allows the caster to track the target, the target may also track the caster ONLY if they have the exact same spell. Links that are established by certain spells have specific requirements attached to them about what sort of magic the casters can use through them, but not about what sort of abilities may be used back through the links.

Not all characters should be able to establish links, and not all characters should be able to utilize links. Links are an intrinsic part of characters with standard templates (sorcery, psychics, mythos magic), but for unique characters with powers, they're rare.

Most link-establishing powers come with stipulations on when the link ends, or how to end it. The unbondable merit also prevents all links from being formed, positive or negative.

Powers should be re-written to use link-specific terminology to make it clear when a link is being formed and what powers and abilities can be used via links. Here are some examples of re-written powers:

For the purposes of this paper, I've italicized the part of the system that refers to all links, and kept the part that enables links to be formed (and outlines the rules for doing so) in normal type-face.

4) Spirit Link You can merge your spirit with a number of beasts, allowing you access to their perceptions as if they were your own. Further, you may communicate, summon, or compel them at any range.

System: Spend 1 gnosis to create a link between you and any friendly, unintelligent, terrestrial, non-human animal. If any animal linked with this power takes lethal damage, you suffer an equivalent amount of bashing damage. You may have a number of Spirit Links equal to your gnosis score. You may access the senses and communicate with any linked, unintelligent, terrestrial non-human animal at any range, and you are aware of the existence of all links placed on you, but no details other than that they exist.

5) Spirit Transfer (requires unbondable w/ bane of beasts) As a (detestable) last resort, you may transfer your Spirit into any animal you have a Spirit Link with, or if caught truly unprepared, any animal nearby.

System: ''At any time, you may burn a Permanent Willpower and transfer your spirit to a linked creature. Animals do not get a resistance roll; all other creatures enter a willpower contest (against your reduced willpower). If successful, you consume the spirit of the defending animal and take control of its form, although mental attributes are unchanged. If unsuccessful, your current body dies, but you may attempt to utilize any links you still possess to get into a new body. When trapped without a body, movement and perception of the outside world (except through links) is impossible. This is not astral projection, and is an entirely undesirable situation to be in. '' Furthermore you may create bonds via dot four with any suitable animal (friendly or not) within gnosis x 10 meters by spending a permanent gnosis point.

The previous power is obviously very specific to Carson and relies on him being unbondable except by beasts to be balanced. Although he has no methods of forming bonds with beasts other than mundane animals, if a beast forms a link with him, he may attempt to consume its spirit over the link.