Solar-Ka in third edition

In the third edition rules, Characteristics and Difficulties (replacing the Potentials of prior editions) are rated on a five level scale noted in adverbs: Pas (1), Peu (2), Assez (3), « … » (4), and Très (5), translating to English as Not (1), Low (2), Enough (3), "…" (4), and Very (5). In real world terms, these respectively represent disability, below average, average, above average, and the peak of human potential. Characteristics and Difficulties are then noted with adjectives: e.g. Dominant Ka is measured using the adjective Initiated. The scaling applies to both Physical Characteristics (Agile, Charming, Endurant, Intelligent, and Strong) and Social Characteristics (Wealth, Education, Relationships). 

For Ka the range above applies as written to Immortals. PCs start as Low Initiated, Enough Initiated, or Initiated depending on how their Initiation step is noted at character creation (Apprentice, Companion or Master, respectively). A Very Initiated Immortal is near-Agarthan.

By contrast, the mortal average is 1-2 levels lower. Not Initiated is the lower average, Low Initiated is the higher average, and Enough Initiated is above average but rare. By Immortal standards they don't stand out. Very few mortals naturally achieve higher than Enough Initiated, with the vast majority being Initiates of the Minor Arcana who have trained to increase their Solar-Ka.

Animals universally have negligible Solar-Ka, well below the human range. If a test is necessary, they're considered Not Initiated. Additionally, animals replace the Intelligent Characteristic with an Instinctive Characteristic that measures the complexity of their instincts (due to animal and human intelligence not being comparable).


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

“Fixing” the setting

These posts assume that the reader is already familiar with Nephilim , so don't expect an explanation of the game here. In addition to the clunky rules, and probably more important, the Nephilim game had fluff that alienated players in the Anglosphere. The rulebook frontloaded potential players with millennia of lore that they had to keep track of. Perhaps the most criticized aspect was that the titular nephilim were presented as parasites who possessed unwilling human hosts to pursue their agendas. While players were seemingly okay with playing murderous psychopaths in other games of the 90s, apparently body-thieves just weren't kosher. The English mailing list had numerous debates over this during its heyday. Rather than rehash those here, I'll cut straight to the point: in my revision of the setting, the nephilim are fusions of a human being and a soulless mindless elemental spirit . The human soul (Sol, Solar-Ka) provides will, purpose, desire, etc. The elemental spirit...
Read more

Simplifying the rules

One of the problems with the Nephilim game was that its rules, a variant of the venerable  BRP , were overly complicated and probably not all that well suited to it. The French version eventually dropped BRP entirely starting in its third edition, and the current fifth edition uses a dramatically simplified rules system. This has inspired me to devise my own simplified rules system for the English adaptation. I'm not going to convert to Fate like certain others have tried . The task resolution system will still be BRP's roll under d100 with difficulty levels and variable results. But all the character traits will change. The standard attributes/characteristics are Air-Ka, Earth-Ka, Fire-Ka, Lunar-Ka, Solar-Ka, and Water-Ka. These represent the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of the character. For nephilim characters, these also represent supernatural aspects. Rather than distinct skills, characters are described in freeform terms and given general competence ratings....
Read more

The spiritual pentacle and the elements

Image
In this post I explain the spiritual meaning of the Nephilim’s pentacle and the Ka-elements themselves. Although linked to specific game statistics, like Fire to Strength and Moon to Charisma, all of the elements have physical, mental and spiritual correspondences and manifestations.  It’s not one or the other . You don’t have to posit different cultures all have different elements to explain varying beliefs. Real occultism isn’t supposed to be accurate in the game world anyway, but the result of information leaks and cargo cults by muggles. Liam Routt gave a good explanation in  his old FAQ : (I’m putting it between horizontal rules because blogger has issues with formatting) The Spiritual Pentagram Traditionally, the pentagram represents our spiritual, mental, emotional and physical composition: Fire Doing—Fire is energy, the power to act. But it is pure action, undirected by thought or feeling. Air Thinking—Air is thinking, ideation, mental activity, but it can...
Read more