Politics (sage study)

The practice and theory of influencing others within an entity organized to have influence over a community or region, in order to allocate the resources of that entity according to the desires of the character. The character is given the power to employ a number of tactics in order to ensure this - the promotion of one's self, negotiation with others, skill at making laws, influence peddling and more.

The character must assign their knowledge points to a single political entity of the character's choice – an independent state or the province/elector within an empire – such as the Holy Roman, the Ottoman, the Safavid or the Moghul empires. The size of the entity is not relevant. Knowledge points may not thereafter be assigned to other entities – however, in dealing with outside entities, the character may count their ability at half.

For example, if a character should choose "France: as their principle entity and accumulate a total of 22 points, their ability level as a politician would be rated at 11 points for all other entities.

Amateur

• Functionary: choose a position of responsibility within the known political entity.
• Schmooze: make friends and allies, gain knowledge and provide for the exchange of agreed-upon favors.

Authority

• Leverage: enables the character to request favours without entering into an ally's debt.
• Machinate: provides for the character to form a conspiracy with a non-player character.

Expert

• Influence: cause a person of authority, as high as the level of baron, to directly follow the advice of the character; the ability offers no protection against the consequences.

See Cleric Sage Abilities