Roles and Status

[robkelk]

Referesh my memory, please...

The rules appear to say a Role can't have a higher Status than the Role's level. (At least, Archangel Beth's spreadsheet found on the resources page complains if you set a Role's Status higher than the Role's level, and one would think she knows the rules.) I recall there was a good, or at least half-decent, reason for this, but I'm drawing a blank on it...

So, why can't you have a Role/1 with Status 6?

[Edman]

Because a level 1 role isn't very real. It's very, very anonymous and really could never endure the scrutiny status 6 requires. Role levels are rule things after all, you don'y pay essence for it or anything, but the level represents partly how real it is but also how much time has been spent devekoping it.

[Rocket Man]

At the same time, the main rulebook never says that it's a hard-and-fast 1:1 ratio. One of my characters is a fantastically wealthy philanthropist whose name is certainly known (Status 6), but who wouldn't be automatically recognized in the street (he prefers to promote the foundation rather than himself). His Role level is therefore 4 ... for all his importance, he's largely out of the public eye and any vagueness in his past is often passed off as "he keeps himself to himself."

[cptbutton]

One thing about Roles I'm not clear on is if they are all slowly built up over time, or can Superiors retcon reality.

If you want a high level role as Fred the Kindly Janitor, do you nag your Superior until he agrees and suddenly everyone remembers Fred, "He's worked here for years" (and the payroll records agree)?

Or do you have to start out as Fred, guy from out of town who applies for the janitor job and then spends 30 years working it?

In the latter case, are there Relievers or minor Servitors who just do "Role maintenance" when the real Servitor is unavailable?

[cptbutton]

Other Role creation options might be:

Mundane forgery by doctoring public records and such.

Deathjacking - Create a vessel that looks like someone who died out of public view and get rid of the real body somehow. If I recall correctly Laurence does something like this already.

Can you assume the Role of an enemy Celestial you just vessel killed?

[robkelk]

Originally Posted by cptbutton

Can you assume the Role of an enemy Celestial you just vessel killed?

Why not? (As long as nobody knows your side killed him, of course.)

Any number of spy movies hint that this would make for a good one-on-one campaign - you've liquidated somebody in your Superior's opposite-number's organization and taken his place, in order to identify as many of the enemy's operatives as you can before he comes out of Trauma and you're found out...

[Rocket Man]

Originally Posted by cptbutton

One thing about Roles I'm not clear on is if they are all slowly built up over time, or can Superiors retcon reality.

The process is gone over in detail in Liber Servitorum, but basically it's the first method. Role creation tends to involve:

1) The creation of fake documentation for the role (birth certificates, medical records, bank statements, etc.)

and

2) The creation of memories of the Role ... either by having an Imp or Reliever portray the Role for a couple of years, or by the angel/demon taking over the identity of someone who died (and whose death isn't generally known). "Serial Roles" where an angel or demon repeatedly hands off the identity to a successor are also known.

[cptbutton]

Originally Posted by robkelk

Why not? (As long as nobody knows your side killed him, of course.)

Any number of spy movies hint that this would make for a good one-on-one campaign - you've liquidated somebody in your Superior's opposite-number's organization and taken his place, in order to identify as many of the enemy's operatives as you can before he comes out of Trauma and you're found out...

That's a neat idea too, but I was thinking more of the prospect of getting a good Role on the cheap.

A Mercurian of Destiny has spent 30 years as Fred the kindly janitor, providing a sympathetic ear and sage homespun advice to people in and around the high school he works at. While also keeping an eye peeled for demons, of course.

But he doesn't spot the Shedim of Malphas of in time, and gets vessel killed. The Shedim assumes the Role and starts giving out a different kind of advice and telling the secrets confided to him to all the wrong people.

[tHEhERETIC]

Originally Posted by cptbutton

Deathjacking - Create a vessel that looks like someone who died out of public view and get rid of the real body somehow.

I had much fun with this idea. Pepito the Impudite finds a kid in a coma who's not going to make it. Kobal gives him an identical vessel and the kid wakes up, albeit with a different personality and tastes (Pepito not being the brightest Impudite on the block). Mom loves and defends the kid like he's her own, because she thinks he's still her son.

The kid? You know how awful hospital food tastes...soup that week was kinda gamey... >:)

[JCD]

Originally Posted by cptbutton

Other Role creation options might be:

Mundane forgery by doctoring public records and such.

Deathjacking - Create a vessel that looks like someone who died out of public view and get rid of the real body somehow. If I recall correctly Laurence does something like this already.

Can you assume the Role of an enemy Celestial you just vessel killed?

Hmm. Why do you think identity theft has suddenly become a big issue?

But it's even easier then that...if you are willing to take some risks.

Meet Bob. Bob is moving for his job. He leaves behind a substantial role.

Meet BobB He looks exactly like Bob, moved somewhere else, and is also living Bob's life. Some friends are supporting Bob's life, some are supporting BobB's life ("Didn't Bob move to Arizona?" "No, I thought it was Jersey.")

And one can replace Bob without waiting for him to have a tragic accident.