Promises - a Mythic Bastionland House Rule
At any time, a Knight may proclaim a Promise.
A valid Promise must stir the heart and require heroic effort.
Knights may only dedicate themselves to three Promises at a time.
The following are all valid Promises.
- βI will slay the dragon Kryxxigth.β
- βI will serve Lucretia until my dying day.β
- βI will earn Evelynβs love.β
Whenever a Knight would roll a Save crucial to keeping a Promise, they may tear themselves against their limits and roll with Advantage. When the deed is done, they lose Virtue equal to the ones-digit of the result.1
Once declared, a Promise can only be removed from your character sheet when it is Fulfilled or Broken. When you fulfill a Promise, gain 1 Glory and add that Promise to your Deeds. When you break a Promise, lose 1 Glory and record a Lesson.2
Lessons
Lessons are the way failure sculpts your knightβs identity. They are triggers born from regret.
- βI always forgive the repentant.β
- βI never turn my back on a stranger.β
- βWhen elders warn of grim portents, I believe them.β
Knights always behave in accordance with their Lessons. Players may invoke Lessons to bypass trouble, while GMs may invoke Lessons to create it. βI always keep a knife hiddenβ is helpful during a prison escape, but complicates diplomatic negotiations.
You can only adhere to three Lessons at a time - if youβd gain a fourth, erase a prior lesson.
Deeds
Deeds are a list of your Knightβs most cherished accomplishments.
When you record a new Deed, roll 1d20. If the result is higher than your maximum Vigor, raise it by 1. If the result is also higher than your max Guard, raise it by 1 too. Repeat this process twice more, for Clarity and Spirit.
Whenever you encounter an NPC, the warden may roll a d20. If they roll equal to or under your Deeds, they have heard of your knight. They know the Deed that corresponds to the number rolled.
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Dorks among you will recognize this as a potpourri of Wolves Boast, Mindstormβs Reputation system, Fire Emblemβs Level up mechanic, and Instincts from Burning Wheel.
I enjoy how they click together.
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Standard 5e Advantage - roll two, keep one. Note the interaction with another house rule I use: βMortal Wounds are not automatically gained when a knight loses half of their Vigor. Instead, whenever a Wounded character is further damaged, they make a Vigor Save. On a failure, they become Mortally Wounded.β↩
It is easy for players to make an βEternal Promiseβ that can never be fulfilled (see the second example). This is by design.↩