Circles and different stock

[Wrathbone]

Would it be fair to say then that earning a new affiliation or reputation might entitle someone to a new Circles-expanding trait? Or is this too much of a bonus?

[ffilz]

If the new affiliation (which is not earned, but is paid for recall) or reputation really should come with new circles, it would not be unreasonable to vote a trait on for those new circles. if the character really has done things to justify the expanded circles.

Hmm, wonder though how to handle a new infamous reputation, it shouldn’t necessarily be associated with expanded circles, but should have some affect. But then there are probably other ways to represent such a reputation.

[Michael_Maleficum]

A side comment, since we have discussed the brilliant Circles-mechanichs in our group: The “Say Yes or roll dice…” really includes my human finding a dwarf weaponsmith when we visit Rockhome. It’s not like there’s not any weaponsmiths there, so either the GM says:

“His name is Grimnor Darkbeard, he has the bulging upper arms and leather apron of a smith, and the excellent spearhead he’s working on betrays his alligience to War Art, as they call it. ‘The Master won’t see a human!’ says a young dwarf working a huge belge. I think you will need to persuade him to not show you the door.”

or

“Sure, there’s weaponsmiths here, in fact you hear it’s at least three dedicated to the Arts of War as they seem to call weaponsmithing, but you’re also told you’re not welcome. Do you want to push your luck? If so, how?”

I mean, the fiction (sort of-*)trumphs mechanics. If we’re going to the fishmarket, any one of us may find a fisherman or a fisherwoman hawking their wares, but we can’t roll to establish that they’re friendly, hungry, happy or a long-lost-friend unless one of us has Fishermen in their Circles. I once had my non-noble character “Circle up” my noble friend(PC)'s sister with a climbing roll. We all knew she existed and there was at least one Belief going on about her. That I risked my health in more ways than one was actually story-worthy.

• (“Sort of” as engaging the mechanics has some great uses/rewards.)

[mykelsss]

@Thor

Right on the money. As long as you can come up with a plausible reason why someone you know might be around, it’s kosher, even if you’re far from your home base. Being away from home is actually covered by affiliations and reputations, since only affs and reps of significant scope will be available to you if you’ve traveled far from home.

In any case, as MrKrastokin sagely points out, we assume that characters have a life outside what we see “on stage” (so to speak). You meet people at the market, in the tavern or while walking your dog. Of course, if you want someone that feels very strongly about you (willing to die in your stead, for instance–a very Specific Disposition), that explanation is probably not going to cut it. You’re going to need someone with a stronger connection to you. That’s where the rules, the game fiction and your imagination intersect.

So assuming I’ve got this correctly:

“+2 Ob to your Circles roll when locating a character in a setting you do not have a lifepath in.”

That right? +3 Ob?