vaelora/Rules/Magic Traditions/Pact Magic – Power Through Promises.md

## **Overview**

[[Pact Magic]] is the art of **binding oneself and a spirit to a mutual agreement**. Unlike [[Blood Sorcery]] or [[Spirit Binding]], it cannot summon, compel, or consume. A pactmaker’s power comes from **reciprocal exchange**:

- The pactmaker asks a spirit for a **favor, blessing, or power**,
- In return, the spirit receives a **concession, service, or sacrifice**.

The bigger the act the pactmaker offers, the greater the spirit’s support. [[Pact Magic]] requires skillful negotiation, knowing how much to offer without destroying oneself, and surviving the consequences of a bad deal.

- **Codified Pactwrights** treat it as law: contracts are airtight, true names are leveraged, and [[Spirits]] are cornered with clauses.
- **Wild Pactmakers**  form kin-like bonds through visions, offerings, or ancestral ties.

## **Mechanics**

### **1. Negotiating a Pact**

[[Pact Magic]] is used only when a spirit is **already present and listening**.

- Roll **Cunning + Attune** as a contested roll against the spirit’s **Spirit Tier + Dominion Influence**.
- Each side states what they want and what they offer.
- The pactmaker must put forward **something of value** or the spirit will refuse.
- You get -1 die on this role for every simultaneous pact you currently maintain.

**Reciprocity is the engine:** The pact feeds the [[Magic]]. The more costly the offering, the more the spirit is willing to give.

### **2. Outcomes**
- **Success:**
    - The pactmaker secures favorable terms.
    - The spirit delivers what was promised for the determined Volume.
    - Calculate the Pact Volume as described below.
- **Failure:**
    - The spirit secures terms **more in its favor** or refuses outright. It may offer a **twisted pact**, claiming a Favor one level higher for a Service one level lower.
    - If you accept, the pact is binding; if you refuse, the spirit is free to act as it wishes (usually leaving or seeking revenge).

### **3. Reputation Among Spirits**
Your **Reputation** is a persistent measure of how [[Spirits]] view you, tracked on a slider:

- **Slider Range:** –5 to +5
- Reputation modifies **all bargaining rolls** and affects the **Volume** granted by the spirit:
    - **+Rep:** [[Spirits]] are more generous and trusting.
    - **–Rep:** [[Spirits]] are suspicious, extracting higher prices.

| **Reputation Level**      | **Dice Modifier** | **Volume Modifier** | **Spirit Attitude**                                                 |
| ------------------------- | ----------------- | ------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **+5** (Legendary)        | +5 dice           | +2 Volume           | Spirits approach you with offers; even Greater Spirits respect you. |
| **+3–4** (Trusted)        | +3–4 dice         | +1 Volume           | Spirits are generous and open to concessions.                       |
| **+1–2** (Respected)      | +1–2 dice         | +0 Volume           | Spirits trust your word but expect balance.                         |
| **0** (Neutral)           | ±0                | ±0                  | Spirits treat you like any other mortal.                            |
| **–1 to –2** (Distrusted) | –1–2 dice         | –1 Volume           | Spirits are cautious, offering less or demanding more.              |
| **–3 to –4** (Notorious)  | –3–4 dice         | –1 Volume           | Spirits may refuse pacts unless heavily compensated.                |
| **–5** (Hunted)           | –5 dice           | –2 Volume           | Most spirits refuse to deal; some actively seek to sabotage you.    |
### **4. Shifting Reputation**

- **Broken pacts:** Immediately shift the slider **–1 level** (or further for egregious betrayals).    
- **Fulfilled pacts:** At the conclusion of the spirit’s service, roll **Cunning + Attune** (difficulty = Spirit Tier).
    - **Success:** Reputation shifts up one level.
    - **Failure:** Reputation stays the same.
    - This roll only occurs if the pact was fulfilled **honorably**; tricking or abusing the spirit removes the chance.

> Reputation does **not** shift on every pact, only when a spirit’s service ends. This keeps the system meaningful and prevents whiplash.

### **5. Determining Volume**

> **Volume = Favor Level + Margin of Success (+/- Reputation Volume Modifier)**

- **Favor Level:** The scale of the offering (see table).
- **Margin of Success:** Net successes from the bargaining roll (0–5 typically).
- **Reputation Adjustment:** Apply the **Volume Modifier** from your Reputation level.

### **Pact Volume Table**
>[!aside|right show-title] Ongoing Benefits and Volume>
Some pacts grant **continuous effects**—flight, invisibility, protective auras, or other benefits that persist instead of triggering once. These ongoing effects slowly drain the spirit’s energy over time.
>
**Rule:**
>
> - An ongoing effect consumes **1 act for every scene in which it is relevantly used**.
> - If the effect does not play a role in the scene (no challenge, risk, or narrative weight), it costs nothing for that scene.
> **Example:** You bargain with an air spirit (Volume 5) for the ability to fly.
> 
> - You fly during a chase (**1 act**), bypass a canyon (**1 act**), and later use flight to infiltrate a fortress (**1 act**).
>     
> - Three scenes where flight mattered = **3 acts spent**, leaving 2 acts for other requests.
>     
**Why:**
> - This makes ongoing effects scale naturally with play: the more you actively benefit, the more of the spirit’s “Volume” is drained.
>- It also discourages abuse without punishing downtime or scenes where the benefit doesn’t matter.

| **Favor Level**     | **Examples of Offering**                                                 | **Base Volume** |
| ------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | --------------- |
| **1 – Small**       | Minor service, small gift, token blood sacrifice, brief labor            | 1               |
| **2 – Significant** | Valuable item, painful concession, week-long service, small magical debt | 2               |
| **3 – Major**       | Limb, vow of servitude, powerful relic, year-long debt, risking life     | 3               |
| **4 – Monumental**  | Permanent loss: a soul, entire community’s wellbeing, mortal future      | 4               |
### **Volume Outcome (Favor + Margin)**

| **Volume Total** | **Spirit Service Granted**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
| ---------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **1**            | The spirit performs exactly **1 act** (one dominion ability at _lesser tier_) **or** serves you for **1 scene** (approx. 10–30 minutes).                                                                                                                             |
| **2**            | The spirit performs exactly **2 acts** at its full tier **or** serves you for **12 hours**.                                                                                                                                                                          |
| **3**            | The spirit performs exactly **3 acts** at its full tier **or** serves you for **24 hours** (1 day).                                                                                                                                                                  |
| **4**            | The spirit performs exactly **4 acts** at its full tier **or** serves you for **3 consecutive days**.                                                                                                                                                                |
| **5**            | The spirit performs exactly **5 acts** at its full tier **or** serves you for **7 consecutive days**. [[Spirits]] of **Greater tier** may use their dominion abilities at full strength.                                                                                 |
| **6**            | The spirit performs exactly **6 acts** at its full tier **or** serves you for **14 consecutive days**.                                                                                                                                                               |
| **7**            | The spirit performs exactly **7 acts** at its full tier **or** serves you for **30 consecutive days**. While serving, the spirit may fully **manifest in the mortal world**.                                                                                         |
| **8**            | The spirit performs exactly **8 acts** at its full tier **or** serves you for **60 consecutive days**. While serving, it may manifest and act independently on your behalf.                                                                                          |
| **9+**           | The spirit is bound to **ongoing service**: it performs exactly **10 acts** at its full tier **or** remains until the pactmaker fulfills their side of the bargain. While serving, it may **escalate its powers by +1 tier** when performing its dominion abilities. |

### **6. Breaking a Pact**

- The spirit may take what the pact requires immediately and violently.
- All effects granted by the pact end immediately.
- Broken pacts **always shift Reputation –1 level** and permanently stain your name in the spirit world.


## Abilities
![[[[Pact Magic]] – The Oathbound Path]]

## **Ongoing Costs**

The greatest ongoing cost of [[Pact Magic]] is **what you must do to keep pacts going**:

- Time, resources, and sacrifices to fulfill your promises can strip away relationships, wealth, and security.
- As obligations stack, pactmakers are often forced into increasingly **drastic trades** to maintain their web of promises.   

There is no separate [[Corruption]] track or injuries; the **Reputation Slider** replaces this. Your word is your currency.

## **Roleplaying Pact Magic**

- Every pact has **weight**. Each favor must feel real, and each spirit service is earned.
- Your **Reputation** among [[Spirits]] is everything. Honoring pacts builds respect and generous terms; betrayal makes every deal harder.
- Mortals often seek pactmakers as intercessors, but few fully trust them.

>[!hint] **GM Guidance**
> - Track the **Reputation Slider** as a central mechanic. [[Spirits]] will treat the pactmaker according to their standing.    
> - [[Spirits]] should never give something for nothing; ensure offerings and favors are meaningful.
> - Failure and broken promises should ripple outward; word travels fast among the spirit courts.