Questions around Icons

[Gorgon Zee]

Basically, you are the GM, and it's up to you how much yo want to use the results. I think something needs to happen, but exactly what is up to you.

My son ran an "icon light" set of games where the icon rolls were used for pretty minor effect, mostly to indicate suitable rewards or hints. I plan to use them much more heavily.

So. For example, running a standard dungeon crawl and we get icon rolls for a positive relationship with the Elf Queen, and a negative for the Three. In both our games that might mean that a captive in the dungeon turns out to be an elf, not a gnome as originally planned. Or in my game. I might add oomph by giving her decent stats and having her help the character who rolled her for a while. Or maybe just have her thank the player with a potion or two.

For the Three, in my son's game it might be as minimal as "you recognize some of the creatures in this dungeon as spawn of the Three, and get plus one to hit any draconic creature in the dungeon due to familiarity". For me it might mean replacing the most dangerous creature with a dragon, or adding some draconic features to them at the least, and have it possess something valuable for that PC.

So long as you are consistent and players know what you are doing, should be fine.

 

[Balesir]

Some random thoughts, in no particular order (hopefully helpful!):

- Help as a result of a conflicted Icon relationship will quite likely be help from the opponents of that Icon, not from the Icon itself.

- Help from the Lich King (someone suggested/asked) might come from an impromptu encounter with a tomb. The character gets a "feeling" about it and (lo and behold!) it contains a useful item. On a roll of '5' instead of '6' the tomb's occupant is not exactly dead...

- Agents of Icons need not always be detailed NPCs. The Emperor (any Emperor) is bound to have courtiers, flunkies, etc. in abundance. They only need to be 'proper' NPCs if you intend to make them a regular feature.

- Help might even come in combat. 'Help' from the Three might be as simple as a dragon flying by scaring off some attackers. Patrols and Archmage's ward effects might have similar effects. Some help might even join the fight - and, for a '5', they might not even be too fussy who they hit!

Basically, I see the Icon relationships affecting things as diverse as "question the barman" and "pick up rumours", "wandering monsters", who is the "patron" for the mission, what NPCs/organisations might be available to help out and what chatacters might "remember" as they try to overcome obstacles in their way.

 

[NinjaPaladin]

One idea I'd like to try -- give players the option of holding onto certain successes and cashing them in at their own prerogative. A positive or even conflicted 6 gives them a chip or something that they can cash in whenever they feel like it for an, "Aha, but just then!" moment.

"Aha, but just as we're being led away, I see that the town guardsman has a symbol of the Great Gold Wyrm on his belt buckle. 'Hey, buddy, help a fellow paladin out, would you?'" And all of a sudden, instead of ending up in jail, they're let off with a warning as the guardsman recognizes that they're on the same side.

Players who are less comfortable with that style of play can either take a magic item or wait for me, the GM, to come in on their behalf.