[UA] Avatar: the Lady

[R. Menzi]

My impression is that the the first two channels
should be switched.  Allow me to explain:

---

Your first channel (forcing everyone to be polite) is
far to proactive... I can't think of a single parallel
channel that imposes such a strong effect on others
behaviors.  As a second channel, it could work, though
still a bit powrful.  Besides, I don't think the
primary essence of a Lady is that they make men who
aren't polite to them instantly panic, freeze, or
frenzy.

Since physical violence would be fall under "impolite"
this would be on par with the Mother's 3rd channel. 
Not that everything has to match up, just that you
should keep the play-tested precidents in mind.

I would also suggest that this stress check not be
against just Self, but against Self/Violence/Isolation
(whichever is highest).  Attacking a Lady carries a
much less primal revulsion than attacking one's
Mother.  The Lady's power extends over civilized men,
not brutes.  (I'd suggest that Savages have a natural
immunity to a couple of these channels)

It does makes sense that people who are used to
self-doubt might get a pass.  However, a man who is
unphased by massive casualities, torture, murder...
well, shouldn't men who have their sense of human
value so damaged be able to shake off the effect when
some female flesh-sack gets pouty?  Call it the
"1000-yard stare" factor.

Isolation involves being distant from society and in
interpersonal relations... exactly the type who would
treat a Lady rudely.  I'd let those who cut themselves
off from society also have resistance to the
compulsory politeness.

(Unnatural and Helplessness, however, don't seem like
they'd have too much of an effect)

---

The second channel (being chanrming and decietful with
men) seems about right, but you may want to make this
the first channel.  Social graces are closer to the
core of the Lady's concept, and should be the first
benefit She provides.  Plus, this one can be plausably
used by an unconscious avatar, whereas forcing every
man around you act polite or risk a panic reaction is
harder to explain "just happening."

---

The third seems like a toned down version of the
Servant's 4th, and I suppose it can fit just where it
is.

---

The fourth... you might want to rethink that one until
it comes up... it doesn't seem all that useful or
relevant.  Let me get back to you about that one.



- R. M.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Jeff Wikstrom" <jeffwik at 333.org>
To: <ua at lists.unknown-armies.com>
Sent: Thursday, February 05, 2004 11:30 PM
Subject: [UA] Avatar: the Lady


1-50%:  The Lady’s aura of propriety is palpable.  Men
around her must treat her with utmost courtesy:
opening doors for her, buying her dinner, refraining
from expletives in her presence, et cetera.  It’s
still possible for a man to act against the Lady’s
wishes; he can forcibly tie her to a chair and steal
her television set, but he must do so politely. 
Failure to comply with these limits causes a Self
check at a rank equal to the tens digit of the Lady’s
avatar skill.

51-70%:  To the Lady, men are pliable, easily led
creatures.  She may flip-flop any failed Charm, Lie,
or other social skill check, if the result would be
under her Avatar: the Lady skill.  The channel
functions only if the target of the skill check in
question is male.

71-90%:  The Lady possesses a magnetic attraction. 
Men unconsciously seek to protect, serve, and impress
the Lady and receive a positive shift when doing so
equal to the sum of the Lady’s avatar skill (so
serving a Lady with an avatar skill of 74% would give
a +11% shift, and a skill of 89 a +17% shift).  This
shift applies only to skill checks made in the pursuit
of impressing or protecting the Lady, and only in her
company.  Taking a bullet for her certainly qualifies;
shooting someone she dislikes counts only if your
primary motivation for the attack is to please her.

91+%:  The Lady manipulates men's minds.  Over the
course of a conversation lasting no less than half an
hour, the Lady can (with a successful Avatar: the Lady
check) divine the schema of a man's Madness meter and
toy with it as it suits her, moving hardened and
failed notches from one meter to another.  The only
restriction is that she cannot change the total number
of hardened notches, or failed notches, on the whole
Meter.  So a Lady could turn your five failed
Unnatural notches into one failed notch of each scale,
but not erase them completely or turn them into
hardened notches.


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