Author Topic: Demonic Pacts for Channeling Users  (Read 1277 times)

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Offline Sable Wyvern

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Demonic Pacts for Channeling Users
« on: May 18, 2017, 06:36:01 PM »
So, a month or so a go, I finally started on a task I've been planning for years, which is to go through RM and do a comprehensive overhaul that takes the bits I prefer from RM2 and RMSS and turn it into my ideal RM.

I had thought I would end up with something mostly RM2, but with RMSS professions and spell list but, it turns out, I've actually got an RMSS with a heavily pruned skill list and some consolidated categories.

Anyway, last night I was writing up my rules for demonic pacts for Channeling users and I think it's my favourite single house rule so far. A very simple system for selling your soul for magic:

Demonic Pacts
Some demonic pacts function exactly like any other religious veneration, following the normal rules for divine status and zeal. However, it is possible to make an entirely different sort of demonic pact in order to gain access to hybrid Channeling ability, wherein the character sells their soul for access to magical power.

A hybrid who sells their soul to a demonic entity for magic is able to learn spells in their own Realms without access to tomes or instructors, and is bound by no rules or requirements in order to retain access to this magic. While the patron entity could withhold their power, to do so would nullify the bargain and return ownership of the soul to the character.

On the down side, when such a character dies, their soul is consigned to eternal torment and servitude in the Void, instead of restful sleep in the ethereal plane.

Unless the character somehow manages to directly threaten their demonic patron, the demon can take no action to cause the character’s death. However, they do maintain a constant grasp on the soul, eager to draw it into their embrace. As such, a character who has sold their soul halves their normal soul departure rating (this adjusted value also applies when determining the onset time for death from massive shock), and if they suffer any crit that results in death in X rounds, X is reduced by one.

Lifekeeping spells will work on a character who has sold their soul, but the spell must first succeed at an RR vs a 20th level effect, resisting at the level of the Lifekeeping spell. If a character happens to be in the Pales when they die, the RR is against level 30, and if they are in the Void, the RR is against level 50. Lifegiving will not work at all, unless the demon can be convinced to release the soul to the ethereal first.

If the demon dies before the character, the pact is broken. If the demon dies after obtaining the soul, the soul remains trapped in the Void, although some other powerful entity or a very high level Lifegiving spell may possibly be able to release it.

A character could theoretically bargain for the return of their soul before their death, but they would have to acquire some incredible leverage if they were to succeed at such an endeavour.


Offline B Hanson

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Re: Demonic Pacts for Channeling Users
« Reply #1 on: May 18, 2017, 07:25:46 PM »
Good stuff. You should write it up as a pdf doc, and post this and your other work on the Rolemasterblog as well.
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Offline Peter R

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Re: Demonic Pacts for Channeling Users
« Reply #2 on: May 19, 2017, 02:08:22 AM »
I was going to suggest that as well.
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Offline Gauds00

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Re: Demonic Pacts for Channeling Users
« Reply #3 on: May 20, 2017, 03:33:39 AM »
Wow, very interested. Love you work!

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Offline Sable Wyvern

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Re: Demonic Pacts for Channeling Users
« Reply #4 on: May 22, 2017, 01:48:40 AM »
I was going to suggest that as well.

Hmm ... I was sure I sent you a PM, but it appears to have vanished.

By the time it's finished, everything should end up in a core rules/setting document at around 200 pages. How distributable it is will depend on how relaxed ICE is about fan use of their IP. The entire document is written in my own words, but includes pretty much everything from RMSR plus various companion options, and it would be extremely difficult to disentangle my minor but numerous alterations from the rest the of the text.

Offline Peter R

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Re: Demonic Pacts for Channeling Users
« Reply #5 on: May 22, 2017, 01:58:08 AM »
You did pm me but I have been away all weekend. I will reply to it shortly.

Having said that, it is not my place to answer those questions. You really should email ICE driectly.
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