Machinate (sage ability) - Revision history

Tao alexis: /* Fruition */

2025-04-12T15:19:58Z

Fruition

Tao alexis at 15:18, 12 April 2025

2025-04-12T15:18:52Z

Tao alexis at 15:16, 12 April 2025

2025-04-12T15:16:34Z

Tao alexis at 20:26, 19 October 2022

2022-10-19T20:26:13Z

Tao alexis at 18:52, 21 July 2022

2022-07-21T18:52:24Z

Tao alexis at 19:23, 20 August 2020

2020-08-20T19:23:32Z

Tao alexis at 06:48, 19 August 2020

2020-08-19T06:48:36Z

Tao alexis at 06:47, 19 August 2020

2020-08-19T06:47:50Z

Tao alexis at 22:07, 15 July 2020

2020-07-15T22:07:48Z

Tao alexis at 22:02, 30 March 2020

2020-03-30T22:02:45Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:19, 12 April 2025
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	Occasionally, there may be a minimal chance of accidental failure — such as a 1 in 20 or 1 in 100 chance that a guard transporting a package is unexpectedly searched. These should be rare occurrences, not routine obstacles. The rationale is that the participant, though unaware of the full plan, knows their own moment and manner of action well enough to avoid drawing suspicion. Failure should stem from accumulated risk over time, not from arbitrary doubt. The DM is encouraged to judge such risks evenly and in the spirit of the schemer's careful manipulation.		Occasionally, there may be a minimal chance of accidental failure — such as a 1 in 20 or 1 in 100 chance that a guard transporting a package is unexpectedly searched. These should be rare occurrences, not routine obstacles. The rationale is that the participant, though unaware of the full plan, knows their own moment and manner of action well enough to avoid drawing suspicion. Failure should stem from accumulated risk over time, not from arbitrary doubt. The DM is encouraged to judge such risks evenly and in the spirit of the schemer's careful manipulation.

−	See [[~~Politics~~ (sage ~~study~~)~~\|Politics~~]]	+
		+	See [[The Church (sage field)]]
		+
		+	[[Category: Sage Abilities]][[Category: Reviewed]]

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-[[File:Machinate.jpg|right|350px]]
+[[File:Machinate.jpg|right|525px|thumb]]
 '''Machinate''' is an [[Knowledge Points|authority]]-status [[Sage Ability|sage ability]] in the [[Sage Study|study]] of [[Politics (sage study)|Politics]], giving the character skill when engaging in plots and intrigues, building carefully crafted schemes or plots in order to obtain a sinister goal. Whatever this goal, the sage ability to machinate enables the character, or "schemer," to induce an allied non-player character to participate in the overall plan.
 __TOC__

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 [[File:Machinate.jpg|right|350px]]
-To '''machinate''' is to engage in plots and intrigues, building carefully crafted schemes or plots in order to obtain a sinister goal.  Whatever this goal, the sage ability to machinate enables the character, or "schemer," to induce an allied non-player character to participate in the overall plan.
+'''Machinate''' is an [[Knowledge Points|authority]]-status [[Sage Ability|sage ability]] in the [[Sage Study|study]] of [[Politics (sage study)|Politics]], giving the character skill when engaging in plots and intrigues, building carefully crafted schemes or plots in order to obtain a sinister goal. Whatever this goal, the sage ability to machinate enables the character, or "schemer," to induce an allied non-player character to participate in the overall plan.
 == Procedure ==
-The schemer determines that for the plan to work, it requires a person of some specific profession or skill to help carry it out.  Possibly, the person may have access to a place the schemer cannot go.  It would be best if this person, or candidate, were already an ally, but if not, the schemer might [[Schmooze (sage ability)|schmooze]] the right person.  Once the candidate has been made into an ally, the schemer explains the candidate's part, and what the candidate should do.
+The schemer determines that for the plan to succeed, a specific profession or skill is required — often something beyond the schemer's reach. This candidate may be someone with access to a restricted location, inside information or the ability to act without suspicion. Ideally, the candidate is already an ally, but if not, the schemer may employ [[Schmooze (sage ability)|schmooze]] to first create that relationship. Once the candidate becomes an ally, the schemer outlines the role they are to play and gives clear instructions.
-Normally, this would require a [[Morale#Bravery Checks|bravery check]] on the candidate's part.  However, '''if the candidate is given no expectation of personal danger''', then a bravery check is not required.  The candidate will simply agree with the schemer, who uses their machinate skill to induce the NPC to act.
+If the plan involves no apparent risk to the candidate — no expectation of personal danger, arrest or [[Injury|injury]] — then no bravery check is required. The candidate accepts their task as a matter of routine, persuaded by the schemer's influence through this ability.
-On the other hand, if the candidate's part is clearly dangerous, with a likelihood of arrest or bodily harm, then the machinate skill grants a +3 to the candidate's bravery check, to see if they will accept their role.  If this bravery check fails, then the schemer must turn to some other means of inducement, such as [[Bribery (sage ability)|bribery]] or [[Coercion (sage study)|coercion]].
+However, if the candidate is expected to face danger or exposure, then a [[Morale#Bravery Checks|bravery check]] must be made. In this case, the machinate ability provides a +3 bonus to the candidate's bravery check, reflecting the schemer's skill in shaping the risk and making it seem necessary or manageable. If the candidate still refuses, the schemer must pursue alternative strategies, such as [[Bribery (sage ability)|bribery]] or more forceful [[Coercion (sage study)|coercion]], to bring the plan to completion.
-== Application ==
+== Fruition ==
-Properly managed, the schemer can make arrangements to have dozens of NPCs act in a manner that will appear to each one as perfectly safe and unthreatening, which will dismiss the need for checks.  This depends on the schemer's ability to explain each role to the DM, who should give the greatest possible latitude to the schemer.  The more complex the plan, the more likely it will be that innocents can be brought in to act in small, incremental ways that will produce a grand, desirable result.  The onus should be on the player to scheme, calculate and devise the result wanted, and then explain it to the DM as they might to the hapless NPC, who wouldn't really know what was going on.
+When carefully orchestrated, a schemer can coordinate the actions of dozens of non-player characters in such a way that each believes their role to be benign and without risk, eliminating the need for bravery or persuasion checks. Success in this regard relies on the schemer's ability to clearly outline each NPC's task to the DM, who in turn should extend generous interpretive freedom to the player's planning. As a plan increases in scope and complexity, it becomes more plausible to enlist unwitting participants in small, compartmentalised actions that, when combined, produce a larger and more consequential result. Responsibility lies with the player to construct, layer and present a cohesive plan — not unlike how the character might explain the scheme to a trusting NPC, who understands only their own narrow part.
-The sage ability is necessarily nebulous, for conspiracies and mechinations must defy codification by the rules.  A wise and clever player, with few scruples, ought to be able to invent a scheme that could make use of a team of ordinary, common persons, stealing a paper here, passing a message along there, hiding a package, acting as a witness or an alibi, or otherwise helping the character to commit schemes of fiendish design.  The sage ability merely encourages the player to believe that if the matter is put to the NPC in a certain way, there will be no die roll required to convince the candidate to join in.
+The sage ability remains deliberately open-ended, as conspiracies and manipulations are, by nature, resistant to firm rules or predictable resolution. A creative player, unburdened by moral restraint, might construct an elaborate plot using common townsfolk to carry out minor acts: delivering notes, offering alibis, stashing objects or bearing false witness — all without those individuals recognising the full scope or consequences of their involvement. The ability simply empowers the schemer to present tasks to an NPC in such a manner that no further convincing is required for the NPC to accept and proceed.
-This does not mean that the candidate will succeed at their task; but that should be a simple, reasonable [[Ability Checks|ability check]], to be made when the time comes.  It depends on what is asked for; if a chef is asked to create a dish to be served, then obviously no roll would need to be made.  If the schemer then arranged for the dish to be placed in reach, when no one else was present, so that it could be [[Dosing (sage ability)|dosed]], then again, there would be no need for anyone to make a roll.  It is all a matter of how circumstances were arranged.
+This does not guarantee the success of the task itself. Execution still depends on relevant [[Ability Checks|ability checks]] where appropriate. If a cook is asked to prepare a dish and that is within their capacity, no check is needed. If that dish is then positioned at a certain place at a certain time to allow it to be [[Dosing (sage ability)|dosed]] unnoticed, the entire chain of setup may likewise require no rolls — assuming it is logically sound and carefully managed. The emphasis is always on how well the circumstances are arranged.
 See [[Politics (sage study)|Politics]]

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 Normally, this would require a [[Morale#Bravery Checks|bravery check]] on the candidate's part.  However, '''if the candidate is given no expectation of personal danger''', then a bravery check is not required.  The candidate will simply agree with the schemer, who uses their machinate skill to induce the NPC to act.
-On the other hand, if the candidate's part is clearly dangerous, with a likelihood of arrest or bodily harm, then the machinate skill grants a +3 to the candidate's bravery check, to see if they will accept their role.  If this bravery check fails, then the schemer must turn to some other means of inducement, such as [[Bribery (sage ability)|bribery]] or [[Extortion (sage study)|extortion]].
+On the other hand, if the candidate's part is clearly dangerous, with a likelihood of arrest or bodily harm, then the machinate skill grants a +3 to the candidate's bravery check, to see if they will accept their role.  If this bravery check fails, then the schemer must turn to some other means of inducement, such as [[Bribery (sage ability)|bribery]] or [[Coercion (sage study)|coercion]].
 == Application ==

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:52, 21 July 2022
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	See [[Politics (sage study)\|Politics]]		See [[Politics (sage study)\|Politics]]
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−	~~[[Category: Lacks Image]]~~

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 The sage ability is necessarily nebulous, for conspiracies and mechinations must defy codification by the rules.  A wise and clever player, with few scruples, ought to be able to invent a scheme that could make use of a team of ordinary, common persons, stealing a paper here, passing a message along there, hiding a package, acting as a witness or an alibi, or otherwise helping the character to commit schemes of fiendish design.  The sage ability merely encourages the player to believe that if the matter is put to the NPC in a certain way, there will be no die roll required to convince the candidate to join in.
-This does not mean that the candidate will succeed at their task; but that should be a simple, reasonable [[Ability Check|ability check]], to be made when the time comes.  It depends on what is asked for; if a chef is asked to create a dish to be served, then obviously no roll would need to be made.  If the schemer then arranged for the dish to be placed in reach, when no one else was present, so that it could be [[Dosing (sage ability)|dosed]], then again, there would be no need for anyone to make a roll.  It is all a matter of how circumstances were arranged.
+This does not mean that the candidate will succeed at their task; but that should be a simple, reasonable [[Ability Checks|ability check]], to be made when the time comes.  It depends on what is asked for; if a chef is asked to create a dish to be served, then obviously no roll would need to be made.  If the schemer then arranged for the dish to be placed in reach, when no one else was present, so that it could be [[Dosing (sage ability)|dosed]], then again, there would be no need for anyone to make a roll.  It is all a matter of how circumstances were arranged.
 There might be a ''tiny'' chance that a guard assigned to carry a small package might be searched — perhaps 1 in 20, or even 1 in 100.  The DM should definitely not give a likely chance to something like this failing, since the guard would know how and when to act; these things should fail only because they are done often, so that a 1 in 100 chance is sure to come up eventually.

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:48, 19 August 2020
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		+	[[File:Machinate.jpg\|right\|350px]]
	To '''machinate''' is to engage in plots and intrigues, building carefully crafted schemes or plots in order to obtain a sinister goal. Whatever this goal, the sage ability to machinate enables the character, or "schemer," to induce an allied non-player character to participate in the overall plan.		To '''machinate''' is to engage in plots and intrigues, building carefully crafted schemes or plots in order to obtain a sinister goal. Whatever this goal, the sage ability to machinate enables the character, or "schemer," to induce an allied non-player character to participate in the overall plan.

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 <br>
 See [[Politics (sage study)|Politics]]
-[[Category:Placeholder]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:02, 30 March 2020
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−	Placeholder.	+	Provides for the character to form a [[Conspiracy (sage ability)\|conspiracy]] with a non-player character.
		+
		+	Each ally that the character obtains through [[Schmooze (sage ability)\|schmoozing]] or by other means has a 1 in 10 chance of possessing a questionable morality – which the character will be able to recognize having obtained this ability. This will allow the character to feel secure in approaching said individuals with a proposition – a scheme or the beginnings of a conspiracy – without fearing that the approached individual will cease to be an ally.
		+
		+	The onus for devising the scheme falls upon the player character. Having suggested such, the player character must make a wisdom check - if successful, this indicates that the ally finds the plan well made. Failing the roll will not affect the alliance at all - but the ally cannot be approached with the same plan ever again, or with any plan for at least a month.
		+
		+	The element must include the possibility of evident risk for both the character and the ally – consequences, therefore, for both must be equally threatening. Both, for example, must risk being killed or imprisonment with the same likelihood. Furthermore, expectations for both parties must also be seen as equal to the amount of effort. The ally will take less than the character if it is clear the character is taking a greater risk.
		+
		+	Keep in mind that if the character is plainly stronger or more able than the ally (say, the character is ninth level and the ally isn't a levelled character at all), then they must measure risk differently! The DM is asked to use the best discretion in determining the equal distribution of risk.
		+
		+	So long as these requirements are met, any activity may be attempted, even those of the most criminal nature. Of course, the character may justify their actions in a variety of ways, depending on the player's imagination.
		+
		+	If the character is participating in an ongoing conspiracy which has – so far – proven successful, the character will receive a +1 bonus to their wisdom check above for every ally already involved. Thus, if the character has a 13 wisdom and has already convinced 2 allies of questionable morality to join, then the character would need to roll equal or less than 15 in order to bring in a third (so long as both other characters are present when the offer is made and the risk remains evidently equal among all involved). With sufficient support, bringing in more participants becomes automatic, limited only by the number of questionable allies the character can locate.
		+
		+	Take note that moralistic allies may also be approached – but the character in doing so must suffer a -6 penalty to their wisdom check, while a fail would result in the ally cutting off all further ties with the character.
		+
		+	It is assumed that these good allies, if unapproached, know nothing about the character's illicit activities. However, if the character is ever exposed to one or all of good allies, then the character must roll their wisdom for each as though they had been approached, still with the -6 penalty (it's assumed the character is given a chance to explain). Such exposure does not then introduce the good ally into the conspiracy, but will enable the character to keep that individual as an ally.
		+	<br>
		+	<br>
		+	See [[Politics (sage study)\|Politics]]
		+	[[Category:Placeholder]]