Influence Spends

About Influence Spends

Influence is a set of spends which involves getting to know people and rubbing a few shoulders... it doesn't always mean being liked, but it does mean making an impact here and there. Along the way, you'll gain a few rivals. Most of Influence's abilities occur within your Sphere. For what a Sphere is, see Descriptions, below. There are two basic "levels" of influence spends in the game. That is: A Known Face (Limited Spend): You're generally known within a Sphere, and receive a small bonus for interactions. Connections (Exclusive Spend): The exclusive Connections spend means that a PC has spent more significant time investing and being a part of this group. It also qualifies them for special benefits, as well as a number of exclusive perks. These different "levels" are offered because every PC's tale is going to be different.

Influence Spends

General Influence Spends
Reward	Benefit	Cost
Transfer Sphere	Sometimes, life leads you a different direction. If this happens, you may let your old connections wither and die...and move on to make new friends. This transfer is not immediate, and should involve some roleplay and storytelling as appropriate. The particular story and the form it takes is up to you.	Known Face or Connections
Upgrade from Known Face to Connected	Sometimes, some things just feel right. As an option, you may upgrade from a Known Face to Connected (if you do not already possess an Exclusive spend). At T1 this costs 5 points, at T2, 10. You do not have to do this: you may possess both Known Face in one area, and Connected in another. One is an Exclusive and the other a Limited; they are different types of spends.	See text

A Known Face
Tier	Benefit	Cost
T1	Recognized Influence: Select an area of influence, using the Sphere guidelines, below. Through reputation, cunning, or otherwise, you mix socially, at least on occasion, with its general members. You are able to call upon these members in a social setting. In addition, you receive a +2 circumstance bonus to Diplomacy rolls with NPCs associated with the area. Note that calling upon them is subject to storyline; for example, if the local Althean temple is busy seeing to a crisis, it may reasonably take a little longer to arrange an audience. However, you'd have an advantage over most. Special: Currently you may not possess the Limited Influence spend and the Limited Organization spend. One or the other must be selected. This is an exception to the normal rules, as we're still learning how things will interact.	5 RPP
T2	Lingering Words: You've a sort of way to make words linger. Whether inspiring or just talent with an earworm, it has its effect a little longer than normal. When you gain this ability, choose one skill: Diplomacy or Intimidate. When using this skill to influence NPCs, its effects last three times longer. If you selected Diplomacy, your Influence Attitude lasts for 3d4 hours instead of 1d4. If you selected Intimidate, you may force an NPC to act friendly towards you for 3d6x10 minutes instead. This has no effect on PCs.	5 RPP

Influencial Connections
Tier	Benefit	Cost
T1	Major Sphere of Influence: You gain your major sphere of Influence. You will work out the details with staff. See guidelines, below. Local Voice: People in your Sphere of Influence start at one category friendlier towards you for purposes of diplomacy and similar social effects. This does not always mean you're well-liked; more, you're more "local" or just more well-known in the area and they're more willing to listen. Rival: You gain a rival! This rival has taken notice of your work and is going to be a pain in the--. Well, there's no success without challenge, is there? You'll work with staff to flesh out your rival and their basic storyline. As you grow and develop, so does your rival.	10 RPP
T2	Promotions: You are able to use your influence and connections to throw events. Despite the name, this need not be a festival--it merely needs to be reflective of your Sphere of Influence. That is, once a month you may choose to run a PrP or a Meetup tied to your Sphere of Influence. You receive a 25% bonus in rewards for this PrP or Meetup. PrPs must be pre-approved by staff, though this is is not an extensive review and is usually in the way of a heads-up. For example, if your Sphere of Influence is the Society of Progressive Arcanists in Alexandria, you might run an event showcasing others' magical creations--hosted at the Academy, of course. Or, an expedition on behalf of the Academy and subsponsored by some modest official. Without this ability, you can still run PrPs tied to or based around different areas in the game. However, someone with this spend will do it with more support and flair, and gain additional bonuses for doing so. Just a Favor or Two: You gain access to favor tokens! Tokens are optional abilities and opportunities available to you as part of Connections. You gain one free token at this time. You must fully qualify for any token you select. The token must be selected when you advance to this tier. See the table below this one for items you can choose from.	10 RPP
T3	Depending on if your primary sphere is geographic-social or more strata-social (for example, Alexandrian Docks versus Alexandrian Lower Merchants), choose one of the following: Knowing Your Way: Over the years, your territories are to you as a second skin. People know you, and though some love you, some hate you, your voice is heard. Not only that, you know how to move. Treat any Major or Minor Spheres you've influence in as a Favored Terrain. If you possess this ability from another source, then the benefits stack when appropriate. Unsanctioned Skills: You've made friends, you've made enemies...some love you, others donate regularly to the Temple of Vardama in your name. Regardless, you've honed your survival instincts just as you've honed your tongue, and have gained a little...knowledge on the side. The story of how you gained it is up to you. Pick any minor rogue talent which you qualify for aside from combat trick or bleeding attack. Note, if you already possess a talent through other means, you cannot select the same talent again using this boon.	10 RPP
T4	Hard to Pin: You're slick. If you're imprisoned or fined for crimes either within your Sphere of Influence or a reasonably neighboring locale (DM's discretion), there's little chance you'll see jail time. You pay no fines and escape sentencing if you can make a Diplomacy check (DC 15 for petty crimes, 20 for serious crimes, or 25 for capital crimes). You may use this ability without penalty once per week. Thereafter, the DC raises by 5 for each additional attempt...until you lay low for a while and let scandalous events run their course (a week's cooldown). Over-use, after all, tends to make your contacts sweat, and you a target...or in more social circles, a source of horrible scandal... Minor Sphere of Influence: You gain a second, minor sphere of influence. This should be related, storywise, to your primary sphere. You gain the benefits of Local Voice, Knowing Your Way, and Hard to Pin within this sphere. Also, any tokens which are usable within your Primary Sphere become usable in this one unless otherwise specified.	10 RPP
T5	The Great Exchange: You owe favors, and collect them along the way. Most of all, you keep track of them. When within your own Spheres, major or minor, you may call upon one social favor owed to you. This enables you to borrow any item of up to 20g per Tier in this spend. This item must be returned within 24 hours. If you fail to return the item, you must return its value to the owner before this ability may be used again. You may also use this ability to contract a service for free of up to half this amount (GM's discretion). This service may not put the NPC in danger in any way, may take no longer than one day, and the NPC's maximum CR is equal to 1/2 of yours. Second Rival: Maybe you both publish in the same journals. Sparred too often and wanted the eye of that famous hero. Or really, REALLY wanted that shipping contract. Whatever the reason, you gain a second rival! This rival has taken notice of your work and is going to be a pain in the--. Well, there's no success without challenge, is there? You'll work with staff to flesh out your rival and their basic storyline. As you grow and develop, so do your rivals. Accomplice: You gain a lacky. See description, below.	10 RPP
T6	Easy Friends: After spending 24 hours in an area, greasing palms and generally getting to know the locals, you may temporarily apply the benefits of either Local Voice or Knowing Your Way to the area for up to one week. Only one such area may be designated in this way at a time. The DM has final say. Second Minor Sphere: You gain a second minor sphere.	10 RPP

Influence Token Spends

As you gain in tiers, you gain access to Favor Tokens. Tokens are a type of unlimited spend, that may be used once per purchase (unless specified otherwise) and are only available to characters who advance in Influence Tiers. Remember that if Tokens or Tier abilities specify a Sphere, this does not include Spheres gained under A Face About Town at this time.

Influence Token Spends
Reward	Benefit	Cost
Deep Pockets	You've made so many contacts, so many deals that you're not always sure what you have in your pockets. As a standard action, you can reach into your pocket, pack, or so on, and have discovered you'd already acquired a useful item. That is, as a standard action once per plot, you may uncover any item of up to 100g. At T4, this may be an item of up to 1,000g. You pay the DM for these items.	1 RPP, Connections T2+
Forbidden Knowledge	With this boon and by rubbing shoulders with a few spellcasters in your Sphere of influence, you gain a limited ability to prepare and cast a few weak arcane spells. With their aid, you can prepare 4 cantrips or one 1st-level spell from the wizard school. You cast these spells as a caster of that type, and must have the minimum attribute stat to prepare these spells. You can't select this award if you're already a full caster. After 24 hours, you take 1d3 temporary points of damage to your intelligence and lose any prepared spells you didn't cast. At T3, you gain a more advanced option. You can prepare one 2nd-level spell, instead, by spending 1 more RPP.	Connections T2+, At T2, this costs 2 RPP and only the first option is available. At T3, the second option is available for 3 RPP. After 24 hours, this ability is expended.
Open Doors	You've learned a few tricks here and there. You may use Trapfinding as a rogue 1/2 your level. This is a permanent ability.	Connections T2+, 10 RPP
Make Me an Offer	Within any of your Spheres, you know people. Not only do you know people, but you know merchants...and perhaps a fence or two. With a little legwork, and by spending RPP, you may enact a sale through an NPC fence, increasing the sale price of the item by 10%. This has no effect on items normally sold at full value and may not reduce an item below half market price. This may be combined with other RPP discounts.	1 RPP, Connections T2+
Modest Title	You receive a modest title which functions within your Major Sphere. This title may be a minor noble's title or an invented one. For example, within the Academy, you might receive an Honorary Professor of Arcane Studies. This title confers a +2 competence bonus to social checks when working with others in your sphere. It does not confer any other bonus, nor may others be argued. This is a permanent ability which is earnable once. When you purchase this ability, your rivals also receive titles, and they will probably try to make theirs more impressive-sounding.	10 RPP, Connections T4+
Nosing Around	You poke your nose into too many things. You gain a +2 competence bonus when making any Knowledge/local and Knowledge/history rolls on topics related to your Sphere. This is a permanent ability. Earnable once.	10 RPP, Connections T2+
Social Club	Whatever the title of it, you're a member of a certain club or lodge. It could be more social or more practical, but regardless, within your area it's part of being well-represented. This comes with a few benefits. The first benefit is that once a month, you may request the aid of "character witnesses" should you ever have need of them. The club vouches for itself, after all. You do not need to be within your Spheres to use this ability, but someone from one of your Spheres must be able to reach you (this may incur a travelling fee, as the opulent merchant arrives via caravan to extol your virtues in prose, accompanied by an orphan's chorus). In addition, you receive a +2 bonus to a particular skill related to your type of influence. For example, a member of the cartwright's guild would receive the +2 to the appropriate craft skill. Do not forget that craft and profession skills may be used in place of history and social rolls within their area of expertise. When you take this spend, please state the skill you would like the boon associated with in the +request. In addition, you'll need to work out with staff a few details about the club you've become a member of. Earnable once.	10 RPP, Connections T2+
Truthspinner	Sometimes, what people believe as the truth is more important (or more interesting) than the actual truth, especially when it works towards your interests or favor. While an NPC attempts to give an account of an event, you may make an opposed Diplomacy check to deftly interject comments or statements over the course of the storytelling that cause the individual to muddle his ability to recall accurate or specific details. If you succeed, your target remains unaware that your interjections caused the confusion. However, if you fail, the target is allowed a Sense Motive check (DC equal to your failed Diplomacy check) to figure out that you made deliberate attempts to confuse the story. This is the rogue talent, Obfuscate Story. This is a permanent favor; it need only be purchased once.	10 RPP, T2+
What an Honest Face	If you happen to find yourself in trouble with authorities as a result of accusations, you are able to convince a trustworthy-enough looking person to vouch for your honor. You can use this award once per purchase. You do not need to be within your Spheres to use this ability, but someone from one of your Spheres must be able to reach you (this may incur a traveling fee, as the opulent merchant arrives via caravan to extol your virtues in prose, accompanied by an orphan's chorus).	2 RPP, Connections T2+
Worth too Much to Die	You owe people, and they owe you. It's probably a beneficial relationship. Regardless...you've accrued a little personal capital. A 'mysterious benefactor' will cover up to 50% of your Raise Dead and subsequent Restoration fees. Whether this leaves you in hot water afterwards is up to you and the story. Once purchased, this is a permanent ability.	10 RPP, Connections T2+
Palm Greaser	You're familiar enough with bureaucracy and social structures that you have become adept at sniffing out corruption. With a day's footwork work in an area, you are able to uncover a corrupt official. While you may not necessarily know how they are corrupt, you have a general idea how how you might work with them--for example, you may have put the pieces together to determine they may be open to specific sorts of bribes. This knowledge gives you a +2 insight bonus to diplomacy with that official. The level of corruption and what type is up to the DM. Permanent token once purchased.	10 RPP, Connections T3+
Lingering Words	You've a sort of way to make words linger. Whether inspiring or just talent with an earworm, it has its effect a little longer than normal. When you gain this ability, choose one skill: Diplomacy or Intimidate. When using this skill to influence NPCs, its effects last longer. If you selected Diplomacy, your Influence Attitude lasts for 3d4 hours instead of 1d4. If you selected Intimidate, you may force an NPC to act friendly towards you for 3d6x10 minutes instead. This has no effect on PCs.	5 RPP, Connections T2+

Descriptions

Accomplice

An accomplice is a minor lackey and skilled worker who helps you with a certain skillset, which is determined at purchase. Accomplices tend to be a 3rd level adept, commoner, or expert with 3 ranks in the appropriate skills and the basic NPC ability score array. This gives them a +8 for class skills, and a +5 for non-class skills. Unless otherwise allowed by the DM, an accomplice may not accompany you on adventures. That is, they are not meant to replace PCs. However, at the DM's discretion, they often provide indirect assistance. An accomplice will not place themselves into situations of obvious danger or bodily harm.

When chosen, you will work out the accomplice's skills with staff, as well as their specific role. Examples of types of accomplices include, but are not limited to:

• Forger (linguistics, knowledge/local, knowledge/history, knowledge/nobility)
• Fence (appraise, knowledge/history, stealth, bluff) *You will still need to use the RPP spend to get a better sale price--this just represents having a fence more or less 'on staff'.
• Lockpick (craft/locksmithing, disable device, skill focus/disable device, perception)

...and so on.

What May Be Chosen as a Sphere for the Purposes of Influence?

Spheres chosen should be part of something the character is directly involved with. For example, a PC might become involved in Alexandria's Society for Progressive Arcanists.

Influence tends to be local. Travel in a world such as Alexandria exists within, travel is easily measured in weeks or months. Airships exist, but are not usually for day-to-day travel. Thus, areas of influence should have a "hometown" feel to them. An example of an area that would not be approvable would be the Entire Territory of Veyshan. However, items that could be:

• Alexandrian Silver Merchants (that is, a specific section of Alexandria's extensive and numerous merchant guilds)
• The Guild of the Sly (one of the PC-friendly sections of Alexandria's underworld)
• A particular noble House (though some are excluded, such as ruling families)
• Merchants in the Docks district

...and so forth.

Before roleplaying gaining influence in an area (and spending your RPPs), be sure to check with staff. The Ruling Council of Alexandria, Royal Families, "the nobility" (and similar areas in other nations and countries) are not available as Spheres at this time. Instead, specific houses or merchant families may be selected. After all, if one family likes you, another family is bound to have issues.

Influence represents general connections and does not confer any unnamed advantages--its effect is measured mechanically in its bonus or abilities granted, and attempts to expand this or argue for such may be considered a breach of policy.

What Sorts of RP are Appropriate for Gaining Influence?

Appropriate RP depends on the organization. For instance, you could RP running errands for a guild, being a Reporter at the Alexandrian Tribune and ferreting out stories (and posting them to the +bboard).

Influence in Ea is represented as "knowing people" or having an active reputation within your area. It does not equate a high position or an ability to "lord it over" others. In other words, it is a big world and there should be room for everyone.

What are Rivals?

Rivals are the bane of your existence. They see you gaining in influence, and naturally, they want a piece of the pie as well. Rivals are NPCs who may feature in RP and who may occasionally show up in a scene. Their goal in life is to outdo you and to make you miserable, just like any rival would. Likewise, you're welcome to make them miserable, too. You, and they, may not always be successful; rivals are intended to be a true challenge and flavor for your character. Posing them in a scene as incompetent or buffoonish in order to make yourself look good is considered a breach of intent. This does mean you're welcome to pose them to a degree--by describing in roleplay terrible things they've done to you, for example, or have them show up and toss some insults your way. For example, a rival at the Academy could have gotten published just a few days before you did...again. AAUUUGH! But you'll get them. YOU WILL.

Rivals never truly go away, even if killed. That is, there's always someone ready to step into a vacuum.

Rivals may not be another PC, as Tenebrae is not a PvP game. Rivals are ultimately under the control of staff.

When you gain a new rival, you and staff will work out the basic details. Note that rivals advance in level, influence, and capability, just as you do...