Water – Challenges of the Folk

For those who observe those around them. By your kindness, your etiquette, and your example lead this Kingdom to greatness.

Argument

No force under heaven can convince a man of what he will not hear.

Argument, debate, and persuasion is the art of reaching a consensus with opposed or hostile forces.

There are five approaches to Argument, each associated with Water and one additional element. You may roll either element according to your own strengths.

• Enlightened behavior ( Light / Water)
  • By living a virtuous life, you influence others to follow your example
• Analytical reasoning (Air / Water)
  • Debate, logical reasoning, and rhetoric persuade with sound principles
• Grace ( Water )
  • The bearing and mien of an honorable cultivator influences others to seek your guidance
• Evidence ( Water / Earth)
  • The facts of hand and land speak no lies even to skeptics
• Honorable behavior ( Water / Dark)
  • By staking life and honor on your principles, you influence others to follow your example

Your foes will require several Challenges to overcome based on their own disposition. Examples:

• A skeptical detective requires both sound logic and tangible evidence. You must Challenge and win reasoning (Air or Water) twice and evidence (Water or Earth) once to convince him of your case
• An ancient spirit will listen only to those who uphold the Kingdom through word and deed. You must demonstrate both your enlightenment (Light or Water) and your honor (Water or Dark)
• A haughty Aloran noble listens only to those who display the same refined class. You must Challenge Grace (Water) twice to convince them of your refinement

Unlike combat, these Challenges do not continue until one side is completely victorious. When you win a partial number of Challenges, you have proportional influence.

• Winning a single Challenge out of 3 exposes the target to your arguments, though they likely remain steadfast
• Winning multiple Challenges but not all firmly plants the argument in their mind. Depending on their disposition they might:
  • Accept pieces of your argument to create a new, blended belief
  • Steal your evidence and present it in your stead. Your argument might succeed but they get the credit!
  • Feel so annoyed by your argument that they set out to prove you wrong in every way!

These Challenges might be spread over a long time. For example, you might meet a detective on the prowl multiple times, slowly working to convince him of your honorable intent. Challenges in progress persist over time unless the target’s life drastically changes (per the storyteller’s judgement).

Social combat mind control

If the last ten years on the internet should have taught us anything, its that you cannot change a man’s mind when he has slammed his brain shut.

The Argument rules here say nothing about your target’s disposition. There’s no Challenge Difficulty you can roll against to make someone suddenly love you. You cannot roll Argument hard enough to force a man to sell you his only home or pick up a pitchfork and charge a deadly monster.

Rather, these rules accept as a baseline a situation where the opponent has some minimal willingness to engage. Examples:

• A detective seeking the truth on a case
• A magistrate willing to accept any argument as long as it gets this problem off his hands
• A driven villain who must not only defeat you but prove his way of life superior in every manner

When Arguing with a foe, victory does not mean they instantly flip to allyship. Instead, you might:

• Inflict doubt or hesitation in the correctness of their vision
• Convince them that a momentary alliance is prudent to deal with the matter at hand
• Convince them that you are honest in your intentions, even if they disagree with your acts

For the rest, you will have to roleplay.

Supporting your arguments

For best results when Arguing, bring proof!

As a player, you may declare what you spend. For Goods and Deeds, the storyteller decides their influence.

• Deeds: Specific help you have brought to the target, their friends, or their community
  • True heroics
• Goods: Gifts, bribes, and physical evidence
  • Polite gifts: No dice
  • Weak evidence or nice gifts: Bonus Ki
  • Generous gifts: Bonus Ki
  • Compelling evidence: Bonus Ki, +2 to Result
  • Conclusive evidence (smoking gun): 2 Bonus Ki
• Reputation: You may Spend Reputation to add the matching dice to a Challenge
  • At most once per Challenge

Understanding through combat

How could you do this to me? We were brothers!

We’ll still brothers! You’ll understand one day!

Sometimes, the only course of action is conflict. As you cross swords with your foe, you and your foe both learn about each other.

Each time you either deal or take damage with your target in combat, you may set aside +2 for use on an Argument Challenge in this Scene. The fighting spirit reveals the truth!

Dissonant Argument

We don’t have time to argue with these fools. Just tell them what they need to hear!

When you stoop to deceit and trickery to push your point, you introduce Dissonance into the work of Harmony. Such deception is often convenient in the moment, and you will be long gone before your marks realize their error.

Dissonant Arguments are:

• Lies (Air / Water)
• False authority (Water)
• Fraud (Water / Earth)
• Threats (Water / Fire)

The storyteller evaluates your stated arguments. When he determines that you act deceitfully, he secretly marks your argument as Dissonant.

Your Nemesis draws power from such foul deeds. The storyteller rolls Cd4 (based on the C of the player challenging) and gains that much Dissonance to spend on evil effects.

Optionally, the storyteller can inform you of this fact with an evil cackle.

Cultivated Economics

When you need to barter or bargain with other cultivators, expect the price to be usurious. Obviously, doing all craft yourself will be far cheaper. However, you may sometimes lack the skills, need to substitute materials, or otherwise tap the greater world of cultivators.

The currency of cultivated economics is the Crystal Core.

• The EarthWater crystal core is the “standard”, since it is the core most available inside the Kingdom’s inner wards
• Other forms of cores sell relative to that rate

• The values above form your usual expectation; local markets may vary wildly
• The storyteller may spend Dissonance to additionally influence these values

Managing a sale

The unspoken rules of cultivated society require that you display the proper conduct becoming of your station.

• Your Water Standard Value must match the threshold below:

• Those lacking such eloquence are likely to be refused a sale or offered a worse exchange rate

Finding a cultivated crafter

Cultivator craftsmen often hide their shops. Some are hidden in plain sight; others in remote locations. Only those capable of recognizing hidden signals will recognize the shop and thus prove themselves worthy of business.

• You may Challenge with either Water or Fire for this task
• Challenge against the craftsman’s Difficulty in your chosen element

Result:

• Disaster: You offend the craftsman or his companions, guaranteeing a price hike
• Failure: You cannot locate the appropriate shop, passcode, or signal of entry
• Success: You pass the test and may now commence paying highly inflated cultivator rates. Enjoy!
• Flourish: As success, but with a discount (maybe)

Negotiations

Most cultivators will state a price of 10 or even 15 times the total reagent cost of the item in question.

• For example, if a Weapon Core required one mystical reagent and one core, the cultivator might demand 10 of each
• This price is meant to deter strangers or hook the truly desperate; socially, haggling is expected

Thus, the price of your work will be tracked as Cost X, a multipler that lowers through successful negotiations

• Starting point: Usually 10
• Minimum price: Almost always 3
  • Anything lower would be considered taking a loss on the commission
• Substitutions required: +2 Cost
  • Such as paying with a mystical reagent that is not in the recipe
• In a hurry: +3 Cost

Affection

A personal relationship with the craftsman may lead to a discount.

• This is not based on Challenge roles; you are expected to appropriately roleplay and maintain a friendly relationship
• Usual discount:
  • Referred from a trusted associate: -1 Cost
  • Pleasant acquaintances : -2 Cost
  • Good friends: -3 Cost
  • Strong bonds, such as a brother in law (who actually likes you): -4 Cost

Charm

Congenial conduct, flirting, and a pleasant presence can set your craftsman at ease.

• Challenge Water against the craftsman

Result:

• Disaster: +3 Cost
• Failure: No Cost Change
• Success, Flourish: -1 Cost
  • For each 5 points you beat the craftsman’s Difficulty, -1 additional Cost (to a maximum of -3 Cost)

Craftsman’s Acclaim

• Challenge Fire against the craftsman

Result:

• Disaster: +3 Cost
• Failure: No Cost Change
• Success, Flourish: -1 Cost
  • For each 5 points you beat the craftsman’s Difficulty, -1 additional Cost (to a maximum of -3 Cost)

Favors

You may undertake labors to off-set the Cost as well.

• Modifiers:
  • Minor tasks and favors: -1 Cost
  • Dedicated tasks: -3 Cost
  • Herculean tasks and life-saving efforts: -5 Cost

Renown

Deeds of heroism and other renown may significantly soften a craftsman’s Costs.

• Modifiers:
  • Local do-gooder: -1 Cost
  • Local hero: -2 Cost
  • Renowned or acclaimed hero: -3 Cost

Threats

Threats are largely ineffective in this context. By definition, a cultivated craftsman is also a cultivator. They are far more likely to fall back on their allies for protection than accede to threats.

In a situation where the cultivated craftsman fears for his life, the Cost becomes 0; the storyteller generates Dissonance; and you are sure to receive a visit from the craftsman’s allies.

Perform

Performing for money

Performing for money is straightforward. As this system does not track exact cash on hand, the Difficulties here generalize to your standard of living.

Difficulty:

• 8 – Make a meager daily living busking and playing in taverns
• 16 – Provide for yourself and your friends with a little extra on the side
• 24 – Make a professional living.
• 32 – Break out from the pack, living well on your art alone.
• 40 – Draw Kingdom-wide attention

If this Difficulty seems high, art is a cutthroat field! Ask anyone on Patreon!

Distract a target

When you want to delay, distract, or confuse an opponent, Challenge Water as usual. The better you perform against their Defense, the more options you will have.

• Disaster: You immediately arouse the target’s suspicion. They become aware of your intent and gain a Bonus Ki to further investigation
• Failure: You fail to delay or distract
• Success: Choose one from the list below. For each 5 points you beat their Defense, choose an additional as well. You may pick the same bonus more than once.
  • Prevent the target from leaving their location for Cd4 rounds
  • Inflict a Penalty of C to the target on their next Challenge
• Flourish: Instead, choose from these stronger effects:
  • Prevent the target from leaving the location for the entire Scene
  • Steal 1 dice strength Reputation from the target
  • Learn a secret of the target’s
  • Exchange your Flourish for a d10 dice on the Deductions of a Mystery

Manipulate a crowd

When attempting to manipulate a crowd through performances or oration, either:

• Challenge against the highest Water in the crowd
• Challenge against the Hearth Defense of your location

Hearth Defenses are related to the settlement in question. These defenses represent factors such as public morale, law enforcement, and the general education level of the mob.

Outcome:

• Disaster: You turn the crowd against you and yours. In addition to failure, Break Reputation
• Failure: Your words fall on deaf ears; the crowd ignores you
• Success: You manipulate the crowd to accomplish a non-violent goal such as obstructing a foe’s path or revealing information
• Flourish: Not only do you lead the crowd, you entertain it! Boost Reputation

Medicine

Medicine in Seln is an interpersonal affair meant to rouse one’s natural regeneration.

You may treat attempt to treat physical ailments, Wounds, and dice effects such as Breaks. However, you will have to invest in the Harmony of LightWater to treat Curses.

Triage: Remove Breaks

You may only attempt this Challenge once per Scene per target.

Difficulty is based on the strength of the imposing force. For foes, this will be the foe’s Water.

For environmental effects:

• Base Difficulty: 6T
• Modifiers:
  • Each additional Break on the target element after the first: +2
  • Affliction is in the target’s Bane: +2

Result:

• Disaster – Remove no breaks; Break Water
• Failure – Remove no Breaks
• Success – Remove 1 Break
• Flourish – Remove 2 Breaks

Once one character has

Triage: Suppress the problem

Wounded or afflicted allies may not be able to fight or move. In emergency situations, you can suppress their injury or effect for a Scene. This comes at a price: the Wound worsens in Severity after the Scene ends!

Difficulty: 9T

• Disaster – Your interference worsens the Wound; Boost the Severity increase after the Scene
• Failure – You fail to suppress the Wound
• Success – Your ally may ignore their Wound for this Scene; afterwards
• Flourish – Your ally may ignore their Wound for this Scene; Severity does not increase

After the Scene:

• Severity of Conditions increases by 1d6
• Severity of Wounds increases by 1d10

Medical Care: Conditions

Any form of negative status effect, known as a Condition, is measured by its Severity. Severity gradually decreases over time as your body regenerates. Conditions are dangerous because they block your Chakra, preventing you from using equipment or Arts in that slot.

Most Conditions represent a form of injury and require medical care.

Each Condition comes with a Difficulty to treat. If you want to treat these Conditions in the field, Challenge Water and do your best!

However, you may also make use of Hearth medical facilities. These remove the random chance of field care.

• When you have access to a Hearth medical facility, you may spend one Downtime to heal your target
• Take your standard Water Result and apply bonuses based on the medical facility
  • These facilities can grant larger bonuses by spending party resources

Medical Care: Convalescence

Wounds and Conditions naturally reduce Severity over time. The full rules are outlined in the Health section. Here we will cover how to apply medical care to greatly improves your natural regeneration.

First, your natural regeneration rate. This is how much Severity goes down by default each time period.

Next, the effects of medical care. These are per season of downtime.

Since this takes place over a prolonged period, these targets are based on your Standard Water value. As it increases, you unlock better medicine. However, you will have to pay for such treatment with rare ingredients and customized facilities.

• Tier 1 – Always available
• Tier 2
  • Medicine required: 15
  • You must spend your Downtime on this care
• Tier 3
  • Medicine required: 24
  • You must spend your Downtime on this care
  • You must expend reagents matching your target’s nature
    • Type: Leaf
    • Reagent must be of the same Circle as the Cultivator
    • Reagent must match the target’s Primary element
    • C reagents total, based on the Circle of the target; pay once per season of care
• Tier 4:
  • Medicine required: 33
  • Requires a Hearth structure: Hospital
    • The Hospital has its own upkeep cost
    • You do not have to spend your Downtime
• Tier 5:
  • Medicine required 42
  • Requires a Hearth structure: Hospital
  • You must spend your Downtime on this care
  • You must expend reagents matching your target’s nature as with Tier 3

Assess

Assess is a crucial skill for learning your opponent’s strengths and weaknesses. It applies to both social and combat conflicts.

You can always Assess, even if Water is your Bane. The question is not whether you learn what you sought; the question is how much you give up in the process.

First, Challenge Water. Depending on your outcome, you will need to pay more for the information.

Result:

• Disaster and Failure – You must pay to convert to a Success
  • This may not convert to a Flourish, even if you pay extra

Disclose from the list below until you reach Success. You may volunteer extra to gain extra insights from your Success, but you may not convert to a Flourish through this payment.

Each item adds +5 to your Result; each item may only be disclosed once per target. If the target already knows this information, you gain no effect and must choose another.

• Your strongest and weakest elements at the time of assessment
• Your Path and Grace
• Your intention in this Scene
• Your Bane
• Your currently equipped Chakra
• Your most valuable possession on your person
• The location of mystical reagents

If you cannot choose any new items on this list, then you must pay by granting your foe one Bonus Ki per +5 until you achieve Success.

On a Success, choose one from the below. For each 5 you defeat the Defense by, choose an additional one:

• Any one Attribute value
• Physical well-being: If the target has any negative Conditions
• Factors increasing the target’s Defense
• Knowledge of one weak element for the target at assessment
• Knowledge of one element that, if targeted, would empower the target
• Location of the most valuable item on their person

On a Flourish, you may also choose:

• Arts equipped
• True goal for the Scene
• Amount of Charge across elements
• Flashback to an important historical moment for the target

Examples

“You notice the faintest drawl to their letters and realize they are suppressing an accent from the Deepwood.”

“As they grow nervous, their hand hovers over their right breast pocket protectively.”

“Under pressure, her eyes dart a moment to the dashing hero in the corner.”

“His handwriting is identical to that of the Master Shu Long. He has cleared trained with the master.”

Assessment through combat

Each time you either deal or take damage with your target in combat, you may set aside +2 for use on an Assessment in this Scene. The fighting spirit reveals the truth!

Note that this is likely to sour your Reputation if you punch someone at a formal dinner for +2.

Torture

Torture is antithetical to the intended tone of this game.

1. Torture doesn’t work. It makes people talk. It doesn’t make people tell you anything useful.
2. Torture is an offense to Harmony, completely contrary to the cultivation of one’s spirit.
3. The game gets weird when one player starts getting very enthusiastic about rusty nails and hammers