The Dresden Files > DFRPG

Scion Question

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ReaderAt2046:

Well, I can't understand it any other way, it just doesn't make any sense.

Tedronai:
Killing with magic is bad for your soul, whether or not its in self-defense, defense of innocents, or execution.

If you absolutely must kill, and absolutely must use magic, then use the magic to incapacitate them long enough for you to stomp their face into the mud.
That won't corrupt your soul quite so dramatically.

Wordmaker:
Essentially yes. It's made abundantly clear in the novels and DFRPG that specifically taking a life through the use of mortal magic is a violation of the natural order of the universe, on par with altering a person's mind, raising the dead, or altering the past.

This isn't a moral judgement in any way, and Anastacia Lucco points this out bluntly to Harry. The Wardens do not uphold morality, they uphold the Laws of Magic.

And yes, you're right, sometimes it means a character can be punished for doing what they believe to be the right thing. Like Harry killing DuMorne. That was in self-defence, and still was a violation of the Laws of Magic, setting up Harry's initial conflict with the Council. This is also why, as stated in the novels, the Wardens carry swords, so they can finish off an opponent, or carry out an execution, without using magic.

OwleIsohos:

--- Quote from: Troy on May 06, 2013, 08:14:39 PM ---I think the question that concerns our group is: Can a player be forced to "Choose?" Can a player be forced to make their character non-playable? An NPC? Even if it is part of a story, like with Changelings...

The whole vibe from DF RPG and FATE system in general tells me... Probably not. If a player doesn't want their character to become an NPC, then they can make all the right choices to prevent that from happening by the rules as written.

Changelings are Scions. So, that's what brought the question up. Changelings have an explicit Choice to make when playing the game. Remain mortal and have some nifty powers or... become Fae and get some more nifty powers. The rules say that the former is a PC and the latter is an NPC. We're wondering if other Scions have drawback and, even in the case of Changelings, can that Choice be forced upon you?

--- End quote ---

I would say that the Choice can't be forced, with a caveat.  Narratively, if the character keeps drawing on their nonhuman heritage and developing more and more powers, they're going to get to the point where they effectively make their Choice and become an NPC.  This isn't forced - this is due to actions the character took, the Choice the character made to keep drawing on and developing those powers despite knowing where that path would lead.  At any point up until they become an NPC, though, they can make the opposite Choice and become a pure mortal.

Mechanically, a GM can compel a PC to take actions that lead to the character making their Choice, but the player can refuse the compels as long as they have Fate Points to spare.  And, as others have said, it's bad form for a GM to compel a character to become an NPC.

The caveat is this: In the case of Changelings, there is one known way to force someone's Choice - arrange for them to receive the mantle of a faerie queen/mother/lady.  However, to do this, you would need to A) Be able to kill one of the most powerful beings of faerie and B) Arrange it so that the Changeling was the closest possible vessel for the mantle.  So...it's extremely unlikely to come up in play.

This is pure speculation on my part, but it's possible other scions might be forced into their Choice the same way, depending on how gods' mantles work.  In the highly unlikely event that a god is killed, would the god's mantle then settle on his nearest scion, effectively making their Choice for them?

MadAlchemist:
As a GM I wouldn't force a Choice or call that Choice made when the PC's powers match the parent. My group uses the choice as a "nuclear option" for changeling PCs,they can reach beyond their ability to handle and take on a hefty template for one scene before they are surrendered. We still allow the child to surpass the parent if they do it the slow way and stay at a positive refresh.

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