Xeriar/BeliefTypes
Types of Beliefs
/SocialCombat - back to Social Combat
Foundations
At their core, people have certain fundamental beliefs. These are called Foundations. A Foundation can be expressed in a single sentance, although it can encompass a much larger work, some examples are:
- A given text(and sometimes a specific version of it) is infallible. Ie, the Immaculate Texts.
- Killing, outside of self defense, is wrong.
- Killing without need is wrong.
- I can be certain of my own existance.
- I can be certain that I do perceive, even if it may not be true.
- We must act on what we perceive.
- Everyone has a right to freedom.
- I have my own right to freedom.
- Anathema cannot tell truth.
- Anathema are masterful deceivers.
These are not all equal. It is easier, for instance, to find a conflicting statement in a large written text (and, of course, convince them it is conflicting) than it is to convince someone that they don't truly exist in any fashion. Some can even be shattered relatively easily - an Anathema can certainly tell the truth when it suits her, and one can argue that killing outside of self defense can be right (in defense of another, in need of food, and so on).
Many times, Foundations will merely change when it is determined that change is necessary. They are almost never shattered completely.
- Something like 2+2=4 is nearly infinite. Methods for arguing against basic logic are only going to stump the least intelligent of individuals - adding additional dimensions or playing games with the actual value of 2 is more of a joke than an arguement. These things should not be even considered Foundations.
Outside of trivial matters like the above, Players and Storytellers should know what these are for their important characters. Players have Foundations based off of their virtues, and a sense of self identity based off of their permanent Willpower. These are assigned much like Passions are for ghosts and indeed, many carry such things as devotion to their family into death. What a dot purchases, however, is different.
Each dot assigned from a virtue purchases a specific trait to be used in adding to the Hardness for that Foundation. No Foundation may benefit from the same Trait twice.
For example, an Immaculate Monk with Conviction 5 devotes it entirely to his faith in the Immaculate Philosophy. He thus picks five Traits - his Willpower (8), his Conviction, Martial Arts, Intelligence, and Lore (all at 5) to make up the total Hardness for his faith - 28. It simply isn't possible for mortals to sway him, though an Exalted might.
It is possible to have fewer than four Foundations, by spending dots from other Virtues. Aside from 'Primary' Virtues like above, no more than one dot in a Virtue may be assigned to a Foundation. For example, the above Immaculate Monk may assign one dot from each of his Virtues, adding his Wits (4), Charisma (4), and Manipulation (3) for a total Hardness of 39 for his faith in the Immaculate Texts.
Self Identity is drawn from Willpower, and is almost always the strongest Foundation a person has. Dots from Willpower are assigned normally, and it is possible to draw strength from up to two virtues as well (one dot each).
A self-important dynast of legendary breeding and an unshakeable idea of her place in the world (Willpower 10) will add her Willpower, Breeding (6), Inheritance (6), Charisma, Manipulation, Socialize, Persuasion, Intelligence, Wits, and Resources (all at 5) for a total Hardness of 57. Breaking her is out of the question even with any sort of normal Charm.
Doctrines
Beneath the Foundation are Doctrines. Doctines are often loosely based upon, or derived from, Foundations. A Doctrine is a set of beliefs covering a specific area - often morality, or large parts of myth (Anathema are Evil). Doctrines are a lot more detailed than the Foundations they grow from, even including a text that might be considered infallible.
For example, the Immaculate Doctrine has its statements about the evils of Anathema, but there are also countless stories detailing just what the Anathema all *did*.
Doctrines have a soak equal to the Hardness of the Foundation they derive from.
Players and Storytellers should probably keep a few important doctrines in mind during character design.
Tenets
Tenets are lines of Doctrine, individual ideas that might not be directly supported by their texts, but characters may hold them dear for one reason or another. They can always be expressed in a few short sentances.
A Tenet for one person may be a Foundation for another.
Their strength varies. Some tenets are core to the Doctrine they represent ("Anathema are evil") and thus, have the same soak. Others are much weaker, only posessing the soak of a single Trait they make up. An easily shattered statement like "Anathema can never speak the Truth" would be one based off of Wits or Intelligence - and not long to survive an encounter with one.
A player's desire to be Chaste falls here. At least, chaste with regards to a specific person. How potent this is should depend on the character's Temperance score.
Notions
No one has a solid idea of all that they know. People - especially those with a desire to learn - are maleable in some areas, and Notions represent these - that is, they represent everything else the Character may possibly have an idea on.
Notions, at best, have a Soak equal to some Trait that represents them. They often represent matters of policy that are not terribly important, or the character is only beginning to form an opinion on.
