[Discord] New Celestial Discord: help and feedback, please?

[ISNorden]

Another thought inspired by the "Upgrade" character's inability to bond with living things...

Ethereal Discord: Word Link

Similar to the "Bound" Discord, a Word Link restricts the type of host that a Kyriotate or Shedite can inhabit. (Superiors sometimes impose it as a punishment for ignoring Word-related dissonance.) If a Choir/Band description mentions some unusual host type, then a Word Linked spirit can inhabit only that type. A Kyriotate of Flowers, for instance, could possess only plants; a Kyriotate of Stone would need at least one stone vessel; and a Shedite of Technology could inhabit only the computer that Vapula gave it.

For Superiors without this kind of exception to the rules, a Word Linked celestial can inhabit only humans with an obvious connection to the Superior's Word. Dominic's Kyriotates might become Word Linked to hosts in the criminal justice system, for example; Baal's Shedim might become Word Linked to military types (including members of a private militia). Asmodeus, of course, never uses Word Link to punish his Fleshless; that would violate the rules of the Game.

Unlike the "Bound" Discord, a Word Link doesn't completely prevent assumption of celestial form. It does, however, make this change more difficult: the character's Will roll suffers a penalty equal to the level of Discord.

Is this Discord reasonably balanced as written? If not, what would you add or change? If it is, though--what might a reasonable point bonus be for taking a Word Link, assuming "standard IN rules" (non-GURPS)?

[Rocket Man]

One thought off the top of my head is that for Superiors without an "unusual" host type, this may still be far too loose: a Creationer who can inhabit any artist or a Judge who can inhabit any officer of the law isn't really restricted that much.

One possible way to offset this is to have the Discord restrict the Kyrio or Shedite to a subset of their Word, such as a Judgment Kyrio who can only possess police officers or a Media Shedite who can only possess sitcom stars. That might make the Discord bite and possibly teach whatever lesson the Superior was hoping would be absorbed by being brought face-to-face and soul-to-soul with an aspect of the Word they serve.

[Kelly Pedersen]

Originally Posted by Rocket Man

One thought off the top of my head is that for Superiors without an "unusual" host type, this may still be far too loose: a Creationer who can inhabit any artist or a Judge who can inhabit any officer of the law isn't really restricted that much.

One possible way to offset this is to have the Discord restrict the Kyrio or Shedite to a subset of their Word,

I like this idea, but I'd suggest a variation: make the subset of hosts available become smaller based on the discord level. So, for example, a Kyriotate of Judgement with Word Link 1 would be limited to possessing hosts related in some way to Judgement (which could include police officers, judges, lawyers, and even a K9 dog), while one with Word Link 6 could be limited to something like "Only New York State Court Judges".

[Rocket Man]

Originally Posted by Kelly Pedersen

I like this idea, but I'd suggest a variation: make the subset of hosts available become smaller based on the discord level. So, for example, a Kyriotate of Judgement with Word Link 1 would be limited to possessing hosts related in some way to Judgement (which could include police officers, judges, lawyers, and even a K9 dog), while one with Word Link 6 could be limited to something like "Only New York State Court Judges".

Oooh, I like that. Thanks for the idea.

[Kelly Pedersen]

A couple of follow-up suggestions:
First, I'd ditch the whole "celestials with a specialized host can only inhabit that host" bit. Leave the specialized hosts as an option to be limited to, but don't make it the only option.

Second, a proposed guideline for the host limitations based on the discord level:

Discord Level     Valid Hosts
1                Any host related to Superior's Word
2                Broad category within Word ("Police officers" for
                 Judgement, "Artists" for Creation, etc.)
3                Narrow category with Word ("Police detectives" for 
                 Judgement, "Painters" for Creation, etc.)
4                Narrow category with one qualfier ("Police detectives 
                  from New York City", "Female Painters")
5                Narrow category with two qualifiers or one very limiting 
                  qualifier ("Black police detectives from New York 
                  City", "Inuit Painters")
6                Narrow category with three qualifiers, or one very 
                   limiting qualifier and one regular qualifier ("Black female 
                   police detectives from New York City", "Male Inuit 
                   painters"). This can also limit you to a single vessel, if 
                   you have a vessel to possess

[ISNorden]

Thanks for that last suggestion, Kelly: without it, I could see players taking Word Link/6 but refusing to assume celestial form in the first place. I also thought of one loophole that needs closing...

A Word Link always relates to the Discordant character's "primary Word", even if another Superior awards his attunement for the same Choir/Band. For example, a Shedite of Fire IST the War follows the Word Link restrictions for Fire. (The character can still use Choir/Band powers that don't involve unusual hosts, if the other Superior grants any: a Word Linked Kyriotate of Dreams could still use the shape-shifting power of a Creation attunement or the memory access of a Destiny attunement, if he had earned those two.)