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Old 04-24-2018, 03:07 PM   #1
RyanW
 
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Default Allies, Unwilling and Minion

In making a template for shamans with spirit allies, I run into something odd in the interplay between Unwilling and Minion modifiers for Ally.

Each are straightforward in themselves, though they seem like nearly opposing traits. It seems like Minion is the High Loyalty modifier, while Unwilling is the Low Loyalty modifier. But then there are allies with both traits (the Bound Petty Demon in DF9 p17, for example).

How, exactly, would an Unwilling Minion work in play?
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Old 04-24-2018, 03:52 PM   #2
Kelly Pedersen
 
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Default Re: Allies, Unwilling and Minion

They're actually kind of orthagonal to each other. Minion doesn't actually mean that the Ally has to do whatever you say. Instead, it forces them to stay with you - an Ally with Minion can give you the middle finger and tell you off when you tell them to do something suicidal, but unlike a regular Ally, it can't then walk away from you.

Whereas Unwilling means that the Ally will follow orders, but only the letter, not the spirit, and try to screw you up as much as your orders allow.

Most summoned creatures that are bound to you, rather than serving at their own pleasure, should have Minion to represent this.

So, putting this together, here's how I see the various traits working with a summoned being:

A demon that's both Unwilling and a Minion doesn't want to be here, but it will follow orders. But it will only follow orders to the letter, and try its best to subvert them. If it can't do something, or if an order is obviously suicidal, it can refuse, but that doesn't end its service.

A demon that's a Minion but isn't Unwilling is happy to be here, doing the tasks you set willingly and to the best of its ability. If you give it a command that it can't fulfil, or a suicidal one, it will politely explain why it can't do that, and keep working for you.

A demon that's Unwilling but not a Minion isn't enthusiastic. Again, it'll follow orders, but only to the letter, and twist what it can. And if you give it an order that it can't carry out, that's it - the binding breaks, it goes free.
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Old 04-24-2018, 04:04 PM   #3
Railstar
 
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Default Re: Allies, Unwilling and Minion

Minion +50% & Unwilling -50% more or less cancels out, so I'd use Minion +0% as the "baseline" for it. In this case the demon always obeys you, but you must micromanage it to keep it out of mischief rather than because it doesn't have initiative.

Alternatively, the Demon Allies sidebar on page 8 has some ideas of the consequences to rebelling. Maybe if pushed too far it can rebel in that moment, but will always be bound again afterwards, making the rebellions only temporary.

I would use it as "neither better nor worse than normal loyalty, just different in some kind of unusual way."
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Old 04-24-2018, 05:45 PM   #4
RyanW
 
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Default Re: Allies, Unwilling and Minion

Thanks, that helps me a lot.

An Unwilling Minion may try to cause trouble if it can get away with it, either in the hopes you'll decide he isn't worth the trouble and release him, or just to make life difficult for his tormentor. And then the consequences he suffers for the rebellion may just make him more bitter.
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