[Basic] Disadvantage of the Week: Vow

[AlexanderHowl]

Not really, that is part of Code of Honor (Chivalry) and Duty (Liege). An active and loyal knight might have both Code of Honor (Chivalry) and Duty (Liege). A Vow would go above and beyond loyalty to their liege, such as restricting how they could serve their liege.

For example, a Minor Vow might be to protect children from harm during conflicts, a Major Vow might be to protect women and children from harm during conflicts, and a Great Vow might be to protect all noncombatants from harm during conflicts. The first one would put him in conflict with his fellow knights some of the time, the second one would put him in conflict with his fellow knights much of the time, and the third one would put him in conflict with his fellow knights all of the time. In the case of the Great Vow, a good liege lord would have him leading their armies while a wise liege lord would have staying home to protect their possessions (or send him to distant lands to engage in diplomacy).

[ericthered]

Vow is often a great place to start thinking about disadvantages, but quite often the "vow" turns out to be something else.

See many examples in this thread.

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by vicky_molokh

Is the veganism a canonical Vow example from somewhere? Because it seems so much more of a hassle, seemingly deserving a bump to the Major category.

It's from Madness Dossier, where it's rated at -5.

[Prince Charon]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

In my experience, Veganism usuallys turns into Odious Personal Habit (Verbally condemn omnivores) rather than a Vow. I have digestive issues that make it impossible for me break down most fungi and most plants, so my diet tends towards high diary and high animal protein out of necessity. I have been harassed by vegans about my diet more times than I care to remember.

That's more of a common-but-not-universal accompanying disadvantage, really, as there are probably more vegans who don't proselytize than those who do. It's just that you get a skewed sample size, since you might not know that someone is a vegan if they don't try to 'save' you.

[kirbwarrior]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

In my experience, Veganism usuallys turns into Odious Personal Habit (Verbally condemn omnivores) rather than a Vow. I have digestive issues that make it impossible for me break down most fungi and most plants, so my diet tends towards high diary and high animal protein out of necessity. I have been harassed by vegans about my diet more times than I care to remember.

Vows and OPH can easily go hand-in-hand. I use it a lot for adding conflict with npc interactions. It's a great way to represent a more encompassing disadvantage.

[AlexanderHowl]

It is important to stress that vows can be outright evil. A character who vows to sacrifice an innocent every Halloween probably possesses a Major Vow, even though they only have to fulfill it once a year.

[kirbwarrior]

Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl

It is important to stress that vows can be outright evil. A character who vows to sacrifice an innocent every Halloween probably possesses a Major Vow, even though they only have to fulfill it once a year.

Would it actually be Major? A single, yearly event that doesn't seem that hard to do seems less disadvantageous as tithing 10% does. An attached Secret would likely be in order, but the vow itself seems small.

[WingedKagouti]

Originally Posted by kirbwarrior

Would it actually be Major? A single, yearly event that doesn't seem that hard to do seems less disadvantageous as tithing 10% does. An attached Secret would likely be in order, but the vow itself seems small.

Depending on the strictness of "innocent" it could certainly be a Major Vow. If it's merely something like "hasn't broken the law/done anything 'bad' in the last month/year", I would certainly agree with you. But if "innocent" is something like "Has never committed a sin" it could be a Major Vow due to the rarity of the victim type (depending on setting).

[Prince Charon]

Originally Posted by kirbwarrior

Would it actually be Major? A single, yearly event that doesn't seem that hard to do seems less disadvantageous as tithing 10% does. An attached Secret would likely be in order, but the vow itself seems small.

Yeah, but it's a single, yearly murder, which is something that tends to get people's attention (well, depending on where one lives). If the bodies and/or where they're found show the same or a sufficiently similar MO (which chances are they will), the police will eventually notice that they've got a yearly serial killer on their hands.

Mind you, that assumes a roughly modern culture with a functional police force, but still, killing people is dangerous, even without getting into the moral issues (which the killer may or may not care about).

[Gumby Bush]

Originally Posted by Prince Charon

Yeah, but it's a single, yearly murder, which is something that tends to get people's attention (well, depending on where one lives). If the bodies and/or where they're found show the same or a sufficiently similar MO (which chances are they will), the police will eventually notice that they've got a yearly serial killer on their hands.

I think the suggestion is not that it isn't a major inconvenience, but that the inconvenience is more accurately represented by an accompanying Secret (Annual Serial Killer) [-30]; than by the degree of the Vow. The Vow I would assess by how much it inconveniences the character to have to murder *on Halloween*.