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The Dresden Files => DFRPG => Topic started by: eiredrake on April 11, 2012, 08:55:17 PM
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For our Dresden game I came up with a character idea of an immortal assassin. Sort of a combination of Ezio Auditore and Connor MacLeod among other things. His template would be 'Emissary of Power', being the right hand of the goddess Nemesis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nemesis_(mythology)). Working with those ideas as a base I came up with a pretty extensive backstory and overall the character works pretty well and is fun to play.
I figured, what powers would he need to be this type of character: Inhuman Recovery, to grant Highlander style immortality, Cloak of Shadows, Inhuman Agility1 and The Sight, to be an Ezio style assassin and Marked by Power to be the chosen of the Goddess.
I'm just trying to make sure that I'm doing things 'right' by the system. Since the process is still a bit confusing to me I thought I'd ask here. My main question would be how much do these items cost in Refresh including the one time discount on one of them. Does one item of power cost 3 or 1 (3 - discount) ?Are two items of power -5? (mentioned at the bottom of YW168)
He actually has two items of power. I basically used the Sword of the Cross as an example. The Eye of Vengeance is what grants his immortality and gives him heightened visual senses. The sword is a weapon allowing him to mete out justice even to those unharmed by regular weapons.
Item Of Power: Eye of Vengeance
Cost: -3
Description: An highly polished black spheroid made of some sort of gemstone the size of a human eye.
Must: Must have a high concept or template appropriate to being chosen by Nemesis
Effects:
- Your Purpose is Not Yet Fulfilled: Inhuman Recovery (-2)
Catch: The eye must be in the bearer's eye socket. If it is removed, then inhuman recovery ceases. The bearer must sacrifice an eye in order to use the item. - The Guilty cannot Hide: The Sight (-1)
- Discount Already Applied: +2
Item of Power: Sword of Justice
Cost: ?
Description: Each bearer of the sword finds that when he or she first touches it, it conforms to the bearer's tastes, skills and aptitudes but it is still a finely made sword at least the size of a gladius and no longer than a claymore.
Must: Must have a high concept or template appropriate to being chosen by Nemesis
Effects:
- All creatures fear justice: (same as All Creatures are Equal before God)
- Divine Purpose: The sword was created to bring balance to the scales and therefore can only be wielded against creatures who have seriously wronged someone. The sword will not harm an innocent at all and if the 'wrong' does not merit death (as determined by the Goddess herself), the sword will not kill them.
- Holy: While the deity that created the sword may not be the Christian one, the weapon is no less a holy artifact and acts like holy water or other symbol of faith backed by the belief of the wielder.
- Its a sword: In it's current form it is a beautiful swept hilt rapier (Weapon: 2)
- Unbreakable: It cannot be broken save through a ritual designed to pervert it's purpose.
That brings me to the last two powers Cloak of Shadows and Inhuman Agility. For lack of a better idea I just attached them to the sword. Frankly though I'm not sure they fit the sword itself. Should I internalize those powers? Or would something like Modular Powers make sense: like the sword grants X points of abilities that vary based on the wielder to make the job he is going to do possible?
1Inhuman Agility - Just made this one up based on the other Inhuman X traits. Effectively this would give you Peter Parker level agility.
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So far as the cost you only get the item discount once, no matter how many items you have, so the Eye is -3, the Sword I would say is -4 and you get a one time discount of +2 for a total of -5.
So far as the Cloak of Shadows and Inhuman Agility powers it just comes down to 'Can you character do these things without the sword or the eye?'
If you have an item of power, a good GM will for at least one story (and no more than once every few stories) force your character to act without those items. What powers do you still want to have when those situations come up?
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The Eye should be -1. -2 for Inhuman Recovery, -1 for the Sight, +2 for the discount.
(That said, I'd put Highlander-style immortality at Supernatural Recovery or higher; they bounce back fast).
As for the sword, I could see Inhuman Speed applying to a blade. What did you have in mind for the Agility power that's not already covered by Inhuman Speed?
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Additionally part of the discount has to do with how noticeable the item is, so the eye (something easily concealable) wouldn't get the full +2 (just +1). Tallyrand is right though, it's a maximum +2 no matter how many items you have.
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Well, while the eye is small, it's stuck in his head, so it's not like he's going to put it in a jacket pocket or anything. Anyone looking him in the face is likely to notice.
But yeah, the sword would be a +2, and you wouldn't get a discount for both.
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A couple of comments:
- You should only get the IoP discount once. It will normally be the largest of the applicable discounts.
- Small items (Eye of Vengeance) shouldn't have more than a +1 discount. If you're giving a second discount for losing an eye it, and the associated disadvantages, should be listed separately.
- Costs don't appear to add up to what you have listed for Eye of Vengeance.
- All creatures fear justice is something I'd rewrite for specific flavor to your deity / sponsor. That's personal preference though.
- Divine Purpose should either cost refresh or be modified slightly. Normally, 'perverting an IoP's purpose' is how you destroy it. If this can't damage inappropriate targets it's worth at least 1 refresh. (The cost of a Supernatural Sense to differentiate between valid and invalid targets.)
- Not sure what Inhuman Agility does, can you expand on it? To answer your question though, yes you should probably internalize those powers. You don't gain anything from attaching them to the sword once you've met minimum costs so, unless there's a background reason to keep them there...internalize 'em! ;)
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Also, I think IoP's are required to have a Must of an Aspect related to that item specifically, in addition to your High Concept reflecting your Emissary of Power relationship.
In short, I think you're 2 IoP-specific Aspects short.
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(That said, I'd put Highlander-style immortality at Supernatural Recovery or higher; they bounce back fast).
I had thought about that but based on the description I thought it might be too twinky. Plus I thought perhaps it could be something I could work up to or something.
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So far as the Cloak of Shadows and Inhuman Agility powers it just comes down to 'Can you character do these things without the sword or the eye?'
What powers do you still want to have when those situations come up?
Well basically without the Sword and Eye he's a vanilla mortal who's way past his freshness date. Based on what I've created so far I (and based on the scene where he first found the eye) if the eye gets removed he's gonna be a pile of desiccated bones within a few minutes.
The sword on the other hand is basically a weapon that lets me pimp-slap supernatural baddies that would normally laugh at a vanilla mortal. So if Nemesis decides that there's a dragon that needs smiting I have a chance of actual success.
I could, I suppose, relate the Inhuman Agility and Cloak of Shadows to his assassin training. I figure Nemesis lets him learn new things to keep his skills useful in between missions. I'm not really sure how that would gain him supernatural abilities though.
Suggestions?
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- Costs don't appear to add up to what you have listed for Eye of Vengeance.
I'm not surprised. I found (and still find) it a bit confusing. Can you elaborate? What do I have wrong?
- All creatures fear justice is something I'd rewrite for specific flavor to your deity / sponsor. That's personal preference though.
Yeah there's a bit more to it than what I wrote but essentially it functions the same as the 'Equal before God' thing on the Sword of the Cross in that it fulfills any catches, allowing me to hurt critters I wouldn't normally be able to hurt.
- Divine Purpose should either cost refresh or be modified slightly. Normally, 'perverting an IoP's purpose' is how you destroy it. If this can't damage inappropriate targets it's worth at least 1 refresh. (The cost of a Supernatural Sense to differentiate between valid and invalid targets.)
Not sure I understand what you mean. Elaborate please?
- Not sure what Inhuman Agility does, can you expand on it?
Well inhuman speed seemed to be all about running fast and going first in combat and stuff. I was thinking more like Ezio being able to dive off a building and air-assassinate someone or being able to scale buildings without ropes or other devices just by finding handholds. Or being able to Jackie Chan my way up a wall by using two corners. I could see Inhuman Agility being all those things, but I couldn't see myself being able to keep pace with a car for example.
So this is what I came up with: Inhuman Agility (http://www.causticreality.com/index.php?option=com_agora&task=topic&id=25&Itemid=55) ( I appologize in advance as the site is very slow)
To answer your question though, yes you should probably internalize those powers. You don't gain anything from attaching them to the sword once you've met minimum costs so, unless there's a background reason to keep them there...internalize 'em! ;)
Ok.. I'll talk to the GM. How would an otherwise vanilla mortal (which is what he would be without these artifacts) obtain such abilities? Could they be rewards or something? Ie: Nemesis sends me to assassinate bad guy X... bad guy X has made an enemy of power Y... Power Y likes that bad guy X has been dealt with. Power Y rewards me with Cloak of Shadows.
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Well basically without the Sword and Eye he's a vanilla mortal who's way past his freshness date. Based on what I've created so far I (and based on the scene where he first found the eye) if the eye gets removed he's gonna be a pile of desiccated bones within a few minutes.
The sword on the other hand is basically a weapon that lets me pimp-slap supernatural baddies that would normally laugh at a vanilla mortal. So if Nemesis decides that there's a dragon that needs smiting I have a chance of actual success.
I could, I suppose, relate the Inhuman Agility and Cloak of Shadows to his assassin training. I figure Nemesis lets him learn new things to keep his skills useful in between missions. I'm not really sure how that would gain him supernatural abilities though.
Suggestions?
Study under a supernatural tutor. Repayment from faeries for acts he's done that furthered their goals (remember, they cannot accept a gift without giving something in return-- even if the gift is something he was going to do anyway.)
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Well basically without the Sword and Eye he's a vanilla mortal who's way past his freshness date. Based on what I've created so far I (and based on the scene where he first found the eye) if the eye gets removed he's gonna be a pile of desiccated bones within a few minutes.
I could see this being an issue. Part of the reason you get refresh back for an IoP is because there is potential for the item to be lost or taken from you, and while there is that potential here, if the GM does take it from you, you die. That basically means that the GM will be very very reluctant to take it from you (No GM worth their salt is going to kill you on a whim, unless that's what the game is about).
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I could see this being an issue. Part of the reason you get refresh back for an IoP is because there is potential for the item to be lost or taken from you, and while there is that potential here, if the GM does take it from you, you die. That basically means that the GM will be very very reluctant to take it from you (No GM worth their salt is going to kill you on a whim, unless that's what the game is about).
Good point. Take out the eye and get dried out bones.... yeah that's pretty much game over. There is an alternative then would also fit. Removal of the eye removes all of the powers granted and he becomes a one-eyed vanilla mortal again, which means no more regeneration or Sight and he's at a disadvantage because he has no peripheral vision. I kinda like that better anyway. It reminds me when Top Dollar figured out about the crow and shot it, thus allowing him to hurt Eric Draven. Much more dramatic that way.
This makes me glad I posted here. It's helping to flesh out the character. Thanks guys!
The scene in his backstory where he discovered the eye featured a skeleton dressed in the tatters of a Centurion's uniform and a second one in what was left of a Spanish Conquistador's armor. Essentially the Conquistador figured out that it was the eye keeping him from killing the Centurion and managed to remove it before fatally wounding the Centurion. But the Centurion still had the Sword and still had the skill to use it and struck down the Spaniard. Basically they both died together and the Spaniard's desiccated hand held the eye.
The story (should you wish to read it) starts here: The Battle of Santiago (http://www.causticreality.com/index.php?option=com_agora&task=topic&id=22&Itemid=55) and continues here An Uncharted Island in the Caribbean (http://www.causticreality.com/index.php?option=com_agora&task=topic&id=26&Itemid=55)
The second part is where he actually takes up the eye and the sword.
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Since the Eye is what's keeping the character alive, perhaps it would be better served as an Aspect (Like, "Kept alive And Magically Aware by the Eye of Vengeance" or something like that) and make the Eye's powers internal (No IoP) Since when you lose the eye you're dead anyway. Also, since the Toughness power's catch is already removal of the eye, it makes sense that the GM can compell the Sight not to work if you've lost the Eye.
Instant Death upon removal of an item, even an IoP, is kinda harsh and really boring. And they way you put it sounded like you wouldn't have a chance to get the eye back. With things set up the above way, you can still get the eye back in place, so long as you don't get slain in the meantime.
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It also occurs to me that your catch is kind-of double-dipping. Since you don't have recovery when you don't have the eye (because it's an IoP and you don't have IoP abilities when you don't have the item) it's a bit redundant for your catch to also be "When I don't have the eye."
I guess I don't think I would mind necessarily if it was a +0 catch, but others might. You should probably check with your GM about that.
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I guess I don't think I would mind necessarily if it was a +0 catch, but others might. You should probably check with your GM about that.
It is exactly double-dipping, even at +0
If I were GMing, I still wouldn't let that pass muster.
Compare to Nicodemus' Noose. The Catch on that isn't 'not having the Noose', but 'the Noose itself'. The power is coming from the Noose, or the Eye, losing the powers from losing the item is a given.
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It is exactly double-dipping, even at +0
If I were GMing, I still wouldn't let that pass muster.
Compare to Nicodemus' Noose. The Catch on that isn't 'not having the Noose', but 'the Noose itself'. The power is coming from the Noose, or the Eye, losing the powers from losing the item is a given.
Actually it's less double dipping than it is none of knowing what we're doing. We're all new to this game. I actually do want my character & his stuff to be legit in game. Otherwise I wouldn't be asking for input.
What would you suggest for a catch? Maybe something that could bypass the regenerative factor? It would have to be something someone could reasonably obtain. Even if it were something like: Can be harmed by something from beyond the earth (like meteoric iron or something) you could still obtain it but that'd make me more powerful than Fae Queens. It would probably make sense if it was something associated with the goddess herself or perhaps an enemy of hers? She did stand in a bit of opposition to Tyche. I think I'll need to do some more reading.
What about something like.... the Eye provides immortality and the sight and then rather than having a separate item as the sword... maybe the user's favored weapon becomes the sword?
Maybe with a catch of:
Half-Blinded by a god. - which gives whatever reasonable penalties could be expected for having only one eye when the use no longer possesses the artifact?
Aren't You Supposed to be Dead?: Not sure what this would do exactly but it sounded like a cool phrase for a catch.
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Maybe with a catch of:
Half-Blinded by a god. - which gives whatever reasonable penalties could be expected for having only one eye when the use no longer possesses the artifact?
This is an aspect (although I would argue that it's half finished). Any time this would be an inconvenience, your GM would compel this aspect and you would get a fate point, so being blind is actually less of a disadvantage than you might think in DFRPG (one of my friends played a fully blind character in our first game). The reason I would argue that it's half-finished is that you probably should come up with a positive side (linking it to nemesis might be a good idea) so that you can also invoke the aspect.
A catch is just a circumstance where your recovery doesn't work. It can be as rare or as common as you like (just cause it's rarer than Iron, doesn't make you more powerful than the Fey).
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Yeah, there is a lot more to a Fae's power than just their catch. There's a reason that there's a fairly short list of things that might be able to take out Mab, and most of them amount to whole armies or more.
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Actually it's less double dipping than it is none of knowing what we're doing. We're all new to this game. I actually do want my character & his stuff to be legit in game. Otherwise I wouldn't be asking for input.
Just because I called out something on your hypothetical character as problematic doesn't mean I think you're trying to cheat the system. I apologize if it came out that way.
As for a possible replacement Catch, just going with '[+0]: unknown' is perfectly legitimate. It should come up at most once or twice in an entire campaign, and only at a suitably dramatic moment, with license given to the GM to make it something interesting (but very rare and difficult to come by).
If you want something more concrete, though, you could go with the WCV method, and choose the opposite of the Eye, Serenity or possibly Forgiveness to counter Vengeance, and require that the emotion be 'True' for that crucial bit of rarity. This, too, would likely be a +0 Catch.
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Just because I called out something on your hypothetical character as problematic doesn't mean I think you're trying to cheat the system. I apologize if it came out that way.
As for a possible replacement Catch, just going with '[+0]: unknown' is perfectly legitimate. It should come up at most once or twice in an entire campaign, and only at a suitably dramatic moment, with license given to the GM to make it something interesting (but very rare and difficult to come by).
If you want something more concrete, though, you could go with the WCV method, and choose the opposite of the Eye, Serenity or possibly Forgiveness to counter Vengeance, and require that the emotion be 'True' for that crucial bit of rarity. This, too, would likely be a +0 Catch.
No worries, I didn't take offense. I was just clarifying where I was. Trust me if I couldn't handle the criticism I wouldn't have asked for advice =). You guys are helping me build a better character and helping me advance my understanding and knowledge so I'm grateful.
And actually Alejandro isn't hypothetical I've actually have been playing him. It's just as that as I become more familiar with the rules I realize we're not doing stuff right. The GM's been a bit lenient with our ability to move stuff around on our characters since none of us are familiar with the game. I've been in I think 3 sessions total and there were two more that I missed.
For example I think my GM thinks refresh points are like the Chips in Deadlands. She keeps giving them out at the end of the adventure and said something last time about spending them before the next game. But as I read up on advancement i realized that's totally not what you do. That was last game though so I haven't said anything yet. Alejandro has about 9-12 fate points currently, which I realize now isn't right.
So, you're basically saying that Catch: Not of this earth (weapons based on materials that are non-terrestrial bypass recovery) would be legit? Of course saying it like that wouldn't just open me up to meteoric iron but to almost anything supernatural like Fae weapons and such. So that might be a bit too broad now that I think of it.
WCV method?
I am liking your suggestion of Serenity or Forgiveness. Like perhaps if the target is genuinely sorry for what they have done and wishes to make amends or something?
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For example I think my GM thinks refresh points are like the Chips in Deadlands. She keeps giving them out at the end of the adventure and said something last time about spending them before the next game. But as I read up on advancement i realized that's totally not what you do. That was last game though so I haven't said anything yet. Alejandro has about 9-12 fate points currently, which I realize now isn't right.
Fate Points are generally 'handed out' sufficient to bring each character to a minimum of their adjusted refresh total, but not over, at either the start or end of a session.
Refresh points are meant to be rather scarcer, unless the goal is a truly meteoric rise to power.
So, you're basically saying that Catch: Not of this earth (weapons based on materials that are non-terrestrial bypass recovery) would be legit? Of course saying it like that wouldn't just open me up to meteoric iron but to almost anything supernatural like Fae weapons and such. So that might be a bit too broad now that I think of it.
The rules would have no objection to that Catch in either interpretation. Limiting it to non-terrestrial sources that are nevertheless of the mortal plane would likely yield a +1 bonus, or as high as +3 depending on how widely the Catch is known.
Including sources from the Nevernever would easily bring the Catch up to a range of +2 to +4, again, depending on how widely it is known.
Given the degree of Toughness powers that the Catch is being applied to, and understanding that no Catch, no matter how broad, can ever refund the full value of the sum of a character's Toughness powers, the first and most limited interpretation would be the most beneficial to the character:
non-terrestrial sources of the mortal plane, with this fact requiring personal knowledge of the character to have a chance to uncover
WCV method?
A reference to the fact that a White Court Vampire's Catch is the emotion opposite that which they incite and upon which they feed.
I am liking your suggestion of Serenity or Forgiveness. Like perhaps if the target is genuinely sorry for what they have done and wishes to make amends or something?
My intended suggestion was that only those who are feeling one of either Truly Forgiving or Truly Serene could do lasting harm to the one who possesses the Eye of Vengeance.
(True Forgiveness would likely require that the one inflicting the harm forgive your character for any and all of their perceived wrongdoings, WHILE the harm is being done, and then hold that forgiveness up to the finest inspection allowing not the slightest doubt or reserve or moment's hesitation; you won't find many individuals in the whole of the world capable of that feat with regard to anyone, let alone a particular individual)
edit: either True Serenity or True Forgiveness would be at most a +2 Catch, depending on how widely they are known, with reasonable arguments for either to be capped a +1, instead due to the sheer difficulty of discovering not just whether the bearer of the Eye is vulnerable to a given True feeling, but whether a given embodiment of that feeling is True
I would without hesitation place them at +0
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Given the degree of Toughness powers that the Catch is being applied to, and understanding that no Catch, no matter how broad, can ever refund the full value of the sum of a character's Toughness powers, the first and most limited interpretation would be the most beneficial to the character:
Wait... I thought the power HAD to have a catch? Why would I benefit (get extra points) from it if it's a requirement?
My intended suggestion was that only those who are feeling one of either Truly Forgiving or Truly Serene could do lasting harm to the one who possesses the Eye of Vengeance.
(True Forgiveness would likely require that the one inflicting the harm forgive your character for any and all of their perceived wrongdoings, WHILE the harm is being done, and then hold that forgiveness up to the finest inspection allowing not the slightest doubt or reserve or moment's hesitation; you won't find many individuals in the whole of the world capable of that feat with regard to anyone, let alone a particular individual)
Interesting.... sounds like that'd be pretty rare though. Knights of the Cross, Forthill and the like maybe. But if they forgive me, that would beg the question of why they would want to harm me.
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Wait... I thought the power HAD to have a catch? Why would I benefit (get extra points) from it if it's a requirement?
They do. But you as a player can specify that it is an Unknown catch [+0]... which means that you're weak to something unspecified that might come up later.
Having a catch that is easier or harder to discover/have access to, refunds more or less of the cost of the power based on how much it interferes with your use of the power. For example, being weak to iron-alloys, like the faeries, is much worse than being weak to only the venom of a rare jellyfish. Faeries get a larger refund for that reason.
Interesting.... sounds like that'd be pretty rare though. Knights of the Cross, Forthill and the like maybe. But if they forgive me, that would beg the question of why they would want to harm me.
That would be what we call an interesting plot point.
How often does Dresden go up against someone who he doesn't particularly have any malice against, but must stop them anyway? Maybe the person thinks that what you are doing is likely to destroy the world. If they think you aren't doing it on purpose, they might forgive your error, but need to stop you anyway.
But if they forgive me, that would beg the question of why they would want to harm me.
And it would be "raises the question." "Begging the question" is a kind of logical fallacy.
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And it would be "raises the question." "Begging the question" is a kind of logical fallacy.
lol... Apologies. Apparently that particular bit of language butchery is common enough that it has its own section in the Wiki article for "Begging the Question".
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How often does Dresden go up against someone who he doesn't particularly have any malice against, but must stop them anyway? Maybe the person thinks that what you are doing is likely to destroy the world. If they think you aren't doing it on purpose, they might forgive your error, but need to stop you anyway.
They might casually forgive your error the same way one might casually fry oneself an omelette. Chances are, for the vast majority of us, that omelette wouldn't pass muster in a 5 star restaurant, and that casual forgiveness wouldn't pass the test for a True feeling, either.
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Item of Power: Eye of Vengeance
Cost: -1
Description: A highly polished black spheroid made of some sort of gemstone the size of a human eye.
Must: Must have a high concept or template appropriate to being chosen by Nemesis.
Effects:
- Your Purpose is Not Yet Fulfilled: Grants the wielder Inhuman Recovery (-2)
Catch: XXXX is thy Bane
- Bypasses Inhuman Recovery, preventing more than mortal healing.
- The Guilty Cannot Hide: Grants the weilder The Sight (-1)
- Discount Already Applied: +2
The only thing would be how to word 'XXXX is thy Bane'.
So... if i understand this correctly. The overall refresh cost to Alejandro is 1, right?
Possible catches....
- Weapons made from non-terrestrial materials.
- Penitence: An attack by someone who is genuinely sorry for their transgressions
- Serenity: 'Truly Serene' - not sure how to word this
- Forgiveness: 'Truly Forgiving' - not sure how to word this
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I feel that I should also point out that the same rule that applies to the value of the Catch in relation to your Toughness powers also applies to the IoP rebate in relation to the sum of the powers granted, including the Catch, so, unless you want to add powers to the Eye or upgrade the Recovery to Superhuman, you will not gain any further rebate regardless of what Catch you select or how widely known you decide it should be.
As far as the wording for the True feelings goes, I would use something like the following for myself:
'Individuals experiencing, or objects symbolizing, True [ Serenity / Forgiveness (and I'd throw Penitence in here as well) ], similar to the manner in which White Court Vampires are affected by their respective True Emotions.'
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You will not gain any further rebate regardless of what Catch you select or how widely known you decide it should be.
If I'm reading YW185 correctly, I must have a Catch for Inhuman Recovery but, I don't get anything extra from the catch anyway.
If the power protects me from everything except something... I get nothing...
If it is bypassed by something only one or two people in the wold have access to or could produce (like a Sword of the Cross) you get nothing...
If knowledge of the Catch requires you to personally learn about it, you get nothing...
Or is that what you're saying?
Or do you mean that even though the Catch is mandatory if it were something Common (+2) you'd get that bonus but it just doesn't apply here because it's an item of power?
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Add each catagory:
0 or 2 for an exclusive vs inclusive catch
0, 1, or 2 for availability
0, 1, or 2 for knowledge
The general Fae vulnerability to iron thus gives up to a +4 rebate (0 for excluding one source from your power, 2 for iron being easily come by, 2 for pretty much anyone with awareness of the supernatural knowing to use iron against the fae). If a given Fae only has Inhuman Recovery, though, they'd still only get 1 refresh back.
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Or do you mean that even though the Catch is mandatory if it were something Common (+2) you'd get that bonus but it just doesn't apply here because it's an item of power?
What he's saying is that the total cost of an IoP is always -1 or more. So the refresh refunds can't be greater than the cost. However if you increased the cost (by say increasing your recovery to supernatural) or decreased the refund (by switching the IoP bonus to your sword) then a higher refund catch would then apply.
As far as True Forgiveness goes, if we're going by the WCV standard, then the person doesn't have to forgive you personally they just have to have experienced True Forgiveness recently. Additionally there could be all sorts of other (non-vengeance) reasons why they are harming you. To protect another would be a great example.
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they just have to have experienced True Forgiveness recently.
Recent vs current, or even how long 'recent' lasts, and what might bring it to a sudden end, is not well established.
Dresden didn't lose the protection his True Love afforded him because he fell out of love, but because he engaged in intimate acts with someone not party to that (possibly former) exchange.
And for a +0 Catch, erring on the side of exclusivity should not be unreasonable.