FrivYeti/LevelSix

Level Six Backgrounds

Backgrounds reflect a character's scope and backing in the world, but the scope is sometimes limited; after 5 dots, there is nothing but the N/A level. The following rules cover how to have every Background advance to Level 6.

Under general rules, characters cannot start play with Level 6 Backgrounds; the effort required to gather and maintain them typically precludes starting-level characters from obtaining them. With sufficient explanation, a Storyteller may choose to allow a player to begin with a Level 6 background. In such cases, the sixth dot of the Background costs two bonus points in addition to the normal costs for a five-dot artifact. With experience, characters may purchase a sixth dot of a Background normally at a cost of 10 experience.

Specific 6-dot Backgrounds are listed as follows:

Allies

A six-dot Ally is an immensely powerful magical being who has chosen to aid and befriend the character. Perhaps Leviathan is her Lunar Mate, or Ahlat owes her several favours for reasons that are unclear. For whatever reason, a 6-dot Ally is a being of immense power, with a permanent Essence rating likely to be in the 7-9 range, and several Traits of their own. They will not be able to fight all of a character's battles for her, but they will be willing to lend their considerable resources to her aid.

Artifact

6-dot Artifacts are the low end of what is currently considered the N/A scale; they cover artifacts such as Dawning Sun heavy warships, Thousand-Forged Dragons, and Manta-Carrier Cruisers. The great artifacts, such as the Mantle of Brigid or the Five-Metal Shrike, continue to be full-tier Artifact N/As.

6-dot artifacts are constructed identically to 5-dot artifact, except that one of the special rare ingredients used to craft the artifact must itself be a 5-dot artifact. Other artifacts often stand in for most of the exotic ingredients of a 6-dot artifact, but this is not required, merely common.

Backing

Backing 6 represents the absolute leader of vast organizations. Within modern Creation, it is a rank held only by those with power comparable to the Great House leaders, the Hierarchs of the Guild, or the elders of the Silver Pact. Within Heaven, it is a rank held by the Shoguns of the Five Bureaus, and within the Underworld it is a rank held by the Ministers of the Dual Monarchs. Theoretically, the Regent also holds this rank, but he does not apply it. The Scarlet Empress would have Backing N/A, as would the Deathlords or the Incarnae within their own spheres.

Breeding

Breeding 6 functions identically to the Merit 'Legendary Breeding'.

Connections

Connections 6 represents a character with total control over the political aspects of an area he has connections in. Kejak holds Connections 6 in the Bronze Faction, for example.

Contacts

With Contacts 6, a character has Contacts anywhere that he could reasonably argue having put one. He does not need to roll to find minor contacts.

Cult

Cult 6 represents a character who has people throughout all of Creation worshipping in her name. It is the rank held by the Five Elemental Dragons or the Unconquered Sun; were an Exalt to gain this degree of reverence, she would be likely to inspire the ire of Heaven itself towards her.

Familiar

A Level 6 Familiar is a powerful and magical creature, with a number of Charms and Traits at its disposal. If you are using my Familiar system, a Level 6 Familiar is built with 20 creation points.

Followers

A character with Followers 10 controls an ungodly army of absolutely loyal minions. A character with Followers 6 has access to 100,000 thoroughly loyal minions.

Influence

A character with Influence 6 can draw influence throughout Creation and deep into other realms. It is a level of Influence held by the greatest leaders of Creation.

Manse

Level 6 Manses are situated on the most powerful dragon nests in Creation. There are no more than a few dozen such locations, most of which have been claimed by a variety of immensely powerful beings. One such Manse is the Imperial Manse, although it is the most powerful of such. These Manses produce only Level 5 Hearthstones; however, they allow attuned users to recover 24 motes per hour, and provide 15 Manse points instead of the 12 that would otherwise be provided.

Mentor

A character with a Level 6 Mentor has attracted the direct attention of a true force - one of the Celestial Incarnae, a fetich soul of the Yozi, or the Neverborn themselves. For whatever reason, one of the underlying powers of Creation has made it clear that you are their favoured pupil, and nearly every interaction that you have with any who know of this is going to reflect that fact.

Resources

A character with Resources 5 may be a mercenary king, but a character with Resources 6 has the wealth of a shogun. He can buy and sell nations; there is almost nothing that does not lie within his grasp. Hopefully he has the power to defend his vast wealth; otherwise, he will soon find that there are many who would take it from him.

Reputation

A character with Reputation 6 is known to everyone in the world, unless they are completely cut off from everything. The Scarlet Empress herself, the Yozi or the Incarnae, or the Dual Monarchs of the Underworld generally have such fame and resonance with their spheres of influence.

Comments

Will you be covering the non-core backgrounds as well? - BogMod

Eventually, yeah. I'll be putting up the rest of the Dragon-Blooded Backgrounds some time soon, and I'll sit down to figure out the others after that. :) - FrivYeti