What about changing the wording of a vow after it's made? Or even changing the substance of it?
What about changing the wording of a vow after it's made? Or even changing the substance of it?
I'm not talking about me as the player ret-conning what I thought. But imagine a situation where the original vow clearly can't be completed, and yet there is some reason in the fiction to suggest that maybe all is not lost.
Here is my example from play: My character makes a relatively minor vow to an NPC to help him with a dangerous task. Not even all that dangerous really. In fact, I debated whether it should even count as an Iron Vow.
Anyway, the dice and the oracles got very brutal, even giving me the Action/Theme phrase "Depart Ally" at one point. It eventually became clear that all the leads were pointing to one thing. The NPC was not long for this world.
So when he died, my first thought is to go immediately to the Forsake a Vow move. However, in the fiction, the NPC had a dying request, which basically amounted to not wanting to be left behind in this forsaken area. Carrying out his dying wish may actually be harder than doing the original task.
In other words, the main character could say "I can no longer do that for you, but I can do this for you."
I know nobody is going to call the Ironsworn Police to investigate me being flexible with the rules. But I guess the question is how does it seem to others? Is it a legit transfer of the vow to a different but partially related situation? Or does it feel like cheating?
I'm not talking about me as the player ret-conning what I thought. But imagine a situation where the original vow clearly can't be completed, and yet there is some reason in the fiction to suggest that maybe all is not lost.
Here is my example from play: My character makes a relatively minor vow to an NPC to help him with a dangerous task. Not even all that dangerous really. In fact, I debated whether it should even count as an Iron Vow.
Anyway, the dice and the oracles got very brutal, even giving me the Action/Theme phrase "Depart Ally" at one point. It eventually became clear that all the leads were pointing to one thing. The NPC was not long for this world.
So when he died, my first thought is to go immediately to the Forsake a Vow move. However, in the fiction, the NPC had a dying request, which basically amounted to not wanting to be left behind in this forsaken area. Carrying out his dying wish may actually be harder than doing the original task.
In other words, the main character could say "I can no longer do that for you, but I can do this for you."
I know nobody is going to call the Ironsworn Police to investigate me being flexible with the rules. But I guess the question is how does it seem to others? Is it a legit transfer of the vow to a different but partially related situation? Or does it feel like cheating?
Ken Hubbard In that case i would think two possibilities: 1-the oracle or ,in solo-game, the player could just transfer the vow to another character. or 2- this could becomes another vow like: discover who did that to this person. is very reasonable to me. forsake the vow seems harsh to the player´s character.
ReplyDeleteI would forsake the original vow and swear a new one reflecting the new situation. I don't really think changing it would be cheating or anything, but I think you would miss on the possible cool narrative and mechanical consequences that forsaking your vow, testing your spirit and swearing a new vow could bring to your game.
ReplyDeleteJoão Pires Actually yes, that's pretty obvious in hindsight. I wasn't considering the option of doing both things. Forsake the old vow and swear a new one looks like the way to go.
ReplyDeleteI guess because the NPC died, I was thinking the main character could not swear a new vow to that NPC. But I can just look at it as swearing to himself to return the guy for a proper burial.
Well said, João Pires. I agree.
ReplyDelete