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Inspiration

As a Conflict progresses, the Players’ elohim will feel the effects of Inspiration or the lack thereof. This effect is brought into the game through the use of Inspiration Tokens. Inspiration Tokens allow you to shift an instant in the game more into your elohim’s favor. 

Uses of Inspiration 

Inspiration Tokens can be used in a variety of ways and at almost any time. Pretty much any way you can think of to use Inspiration should at least be considered by the Host. The following are suggestions of possible uses of Inspirations Tokens. (Unless otherwise stated, each of these effects cost only a single Inspiration Token and in most cases can be used after any related roll is made): 

  • 1 Adjustment to your elohim’s Strike, Resist, or Check Roll 
  • 1 Adjustment to a Strike, Resist, or Check Roll against your elohim 
  • Add 1” to the Range of your elohim’s Ranged Strikes 
  • Make one “12” or “1” of an Epic Roll adjustable (then, if adjusted immediately using additional Inspiration, can prevent consequences of the Epic Roll such as causing Weakened Status or Defeat) 
  • Add 2” Knock Back to your elohim’s Strike (must have at least one Hit even if it is canceled) 
  • Resist 3” of Knock Back to your elohim 
  • Add Falter:2 to your elohim’s Strike (must have at least one Hit, regardless of Stops) 
  • Resist or Recover from 3 Action Points of Falter to your elohim
  • Reduce Exertion by 3
  • Remove Poison:2 
  • 2 Action Points for your elohim to use immediately (The Host resolves immediacy questions. Only one Inspiration may be used this way until the start of the elohim’s next Activation. These Action Points are independent of the elohim’s Activations and do not create an Activation for the character.) 
  • Initiate one Ongoing Spiritual Effect on any number of Targets for only 1 Action Point 
  • For this Cycle add 2” to the Range of one Spiritual Effect that affects a single Target (including Laying on Hands and Revive, Holy Hammer only increases 1” same as a Ranged Strike) 
  • For this Cycle add 1” to the Range of one Spiritual Effect that affects multiple Targets 
  • +1 Level of Effect to all recipients for one Boosting Song your elohim is singing this Cycle (May only exceed maximum Levels of Effect by 1 this way.) 
  • Add 2” to the Range of one Song your elohim is singing this Cycle that affects a single Target 
  • Add 1” to the Range of one Song your elohim is singing this Cycle that affects multiple Targets
  • +40 to any Basic Attribute for 1 Cycle (Only one Basic Attribute can be increased at any time. This may not be applied to affect a roll that has been made.)
  • Cancel Weakened Status for your elohim until the end of their next (or current) Activation. 
  • Automatically Pass an Intentional Perception Check made by your elohim (no Action Points required) 
  • No penalty for adding up to 2 extra Target's to a Social Interaction
  • Remove 1 Social Dominance Point from your elohim 

This list above is not exhaustive and players can be creative, however the Host may tweak the actual effect or may decide that such a use already falls under one from the list (for example, boosting Force already is accomplished by boosting Might). Effects of Inspiration will sometimes break game rules and can enhance the fun of the game. However, power without limits can detract rather than enhance. Players should not be allowed to effectively cheat the system with similar uses that effectively compound the same effect. Be careful not to allow the use of Inspiration granting Action Points to break the rules in too powerful of ways. Inspiration used for Action Points should not be allowed to interrupt something that has already begun, such as moving out of range of a Strike currently being performed. If a player really likes a specific use for Inspiration and thinks it fits their character well, they do have the option to choose Inspiration Specializations as they increase in Rank.

Only 3 Inspiration can be used at once for the same purpose if the result would be offensive or detrimental to the elohim’s opponents. Only 1 Inspiration per instance can be used offensively against an Archon by each character. Defensive uses are not restricted in the amount. 

Gaining Inspiration 

Only player characters are able to gain and use Inspiration. Player character elohim start each Conflict with a number of Inspiration Tokens based upon their Tier. 3, 4, 5, or 7 Tokens for Tiers:1-4 respectively. 

Once the Conflict has begun, player character elohim can gain further Inspiration in the following ways: 

  • Distribution from the Inspiration Pool 

  • +1 Inspiration Token the first time each Cycle a Boosting Spiritual Effects or Boosting Song affecting that elohim is initiated or maintained (1 Inspiration for either, not both)

  • +1 Inspiration Token each time an enemy of at least equal Tier to the character is Defeated. This is increased by an additional +1 Inspiration Token for each Tier higher the enemy is than the character receiving the Inspiration. 

Inspiration Pool

The ebb and flow of a Conflict is tracked using the Inspiration Pool. As events happen in favor of the holy elohim, the Inspiration Pool will fill. As events happen that are in favor of the unholy elohim, the Inspiration Pool will drain and even fall into a negative state. When the Inspiration Pool fill far enough to the positive the Player characters will receive distributions from the Inspiration Pool. If it drains too far into the negative, however, the unholy elohim will receive additional Obstruction Tokens.

Inspiration is a reward of involvement in the game and so tracking and adjusting the Pool in positive directions is a responsibility that falls on the Players. If an opportunity to add to the Pool is missed and moved past, the addition may be denied at the discretion of the Host.

Whenever there is 7 Inspiration in the Inspiration Pool, 1 Inspiration is given to each Player Character from the Pool and then 2 more Inspiration is removed from the Pool. (This can never cause the Pool to fall below 0.) Conversely, if there are ever 7 or more Void Tokens in the Inspiration Pool, give an Obstruction Token to each Archon and remove that many Void Tokens from the Inspiration Pool plus 2 more. If there are no Archons, the Host will choose who to give them to. If there are more than 7 Player Characters, Inspiration is distributed once there is 12 Inspiration in the Inspiration Pool. 

Inspiration is added to or removed from the Inspiration Pool in the following ways: 

  • 1 Inspiration is added to the Inspiration Pool each time a player character elohim has at least 3 Hits with a Strike against an enemy. 
  • 1 Inspiration is added to the Inspiration Pool if Defensive Hits are caused by a player character elohim. 
  • 1 Inspiration is added to the Inspiration Pool each time a player character elohim completely Resists a Spiritual Effect or Song. 
  • 1 Inspiration is added to the Inspiration Pool if there are any uncanceled Fails in an enemy Resist Check against a Spiritual Effect or Song of a player character elohim.
  • 1 Inspiration is added to the Inspiration Pool if there is 1 uncanceled Epic die result during a Strike, Resist, or Check Roll that is in your favor (this does not includes Perception Checks except for Trained Eye). 1 Inspiration is removed from the Inspiration Pool if there is 1 uncanceled Epic die result during a Strike, Resist, or Check Roll that is not in your favor. 
  • 3 Inspiration is added to the Inspiration Pool if there are 2 uncanceled Epic die results that are in your favor. 3 Inspiration is removed from the Inspiration Pool if there are 2 uncanceled Epic die results that are not in your favor. 
  • 7 Inspiration is added to the Inspiration Pool if there are 3 uncanceled Epic die results that are in your favor. 7 Inspiration is removed from the Inspiration Pool if there are 3 uncanceled Epic die results that are not in your favor. 
  • 12 Inspiration is added to the Inspiration Pool if there are 4 uncanceled Epic die results that are in your favor. 12 Inspiration is removed from the Inspiration Pool if there are 4 uncanceled Epic die results that are not in your favor. 

If there are ever 5 or more uncanceled Epic die results in a roll, the Host can decide what effect it will have on the Inspiration Pool or the game in general. This is so rare, it may never even happen to some players and should be celebrated accordingly if it ever should occur.

It should be noted that Epic results are for all visible dice rolls and do not require the involvement of a player character elohim to changes to the Inspiration Pool. Any time numbers other than “12” or “1” are treated as Epic results, these do not add to or remove from the Inspiration Pool. If Inspiration would be removed from the Inspiration Pool and there is no Inspiration to remove, the Inspiration count can go negative. In this event, place Void Tokens into the Inspiration Pool to track the amount of Inspiration that the Inspiration Pool is negative. 

In addition to these means of gaining Inspiration, the Host may also give the group or individual Players Inspiration to honor a Player who is really adding to the gaming experience by their enthusiasm or their roleplaying. While this may happen occasionally, it should certainly not be the expected norm. 

A character may not have more than 12 Inspiration. If they would gain more than 12, any extra is not gained. If the player wishes to avoid missing out on an Inspiration Token, they can spend excess Tokens immediately. 

Obstruction & Archons 

Archons are essentially the unholy version of Players characters. They stand out among the unholy forces and as such have the benefit of an effect similar to Inspiration called Obstruction. Unlike Inspiration, Obstruction can only be used defensively to protect the Archon. The option to add 40 to an Basic Attribute for 1 Cycle is also always an option for an Archon. The higher the Domain of the Archon, the more Obstruction they will receive. The general rule is 3 Obstruction for each Domain minus/plus 1 for each prevailing level of Good/Evil Area Influence. The Host will determine which, if any, evil characters are considered to be an Archon in each Conflict. Sometimes the Host may determine an unholy elohim to be a Chief Archon and their strongest cohort(s) to be Archons. Ultimately, the Host will determine how much Obstruction will be given to any Archons. Every Obstruction spent by an Chief Archon functions as if it were spent on a Specialization. 

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