NPC Parents of PC's - Ages are tricky?

Burning Empires Burning Empires Character Burner
1

I have a PC who’s chosen one of the opposite side relationships to be his mother, who was the mistress of the former ruler of the planet. She is not a FON. Here’s the problem, the character in question is at least 50 (he’s a 7LP character.) To get the ages right I’d almost have to make a 9 or 10 LP NPC. She could hardly have had him any earlier than maybe 13 years old? And that’s kind of pushing it, though appropriate for a “middle ages” game I suppose.

What would you do? Less LP’s and fudge the age numbers?

2

If she’s not a FON why are bothering to burn her? If the need arises just assign a number arbitrarily based on what you (or the player who’s mom it is) thinks it she be, a belief if necessary or perhaps an instinct. Just assign as needed I would suggest, give her 4s in everything if it suits her - maybe I’m just lazy but I wouldn’t give her a full burn if she’s not a FON

3

Or, if you really want to burn them up, use the “repeating lifepaths” rules from p. 36 of the character burner.

4

This sounds like BE (which I don’t possess), but does it have a “Repeating Lifepaths” rule similar to p. 36 of the Character Burner?

5

The Law of Diminishing Returns is on page 102.

6

Also, keep in mind that someone with 4 lifepaths has pretty much just “completed” the fourth, so to speak. That doesn’t mean a NPC can’t have four lifepaths and be 40, 50 or 80 years old.

7

http://www.burningwheel.org/forum/showthread.php?9576-NPC-Parents-of-PC-s-Ages-are-tricky

Posted in the wrong place before

I have a PC who’s chosen one of the opposite side relationships to be his mother, who was the mistress of the former ruler of the planet. She is not a FON. Here’s the problem, the character in question is at least 50 (he’s a 7LP character.) To get the ages right I’d almost have to make a 9 or 10 LP NPC. She could hardly have had him any earlier than maybe 13 years old? And that’s kind of pushing it, though appropriate for a “middle ages” game I suppose.

What would you do? Less LP’s and fudge the age numbers?

Also my understanding was that any relationships of the players needed to be fully burned up.

8

That’s what I get for trying to post after the third drink. I restarted the thread in the BE forum.

http://www.burningwheel.org/forum/showthread.php?9579-NPC-Parents-of-PC-s-Ages-are-Tricky

9

Don’t have my book at hand, but pretty sure only “second in charge” relationships require a full burn.

10

Hmmm. It seems my mind constructed something that wasn’t there? Wouldn’t be the first time. I can’t find it in the book.

All relationship characters don’t have to be burned? And I suppose if I did burn them that the repeating LP rules would keep it from being too unweildy. Though the opening of p626 suggests that PC relationships would be full burns.

11

If you want to burn her, remembering the repeating of lifepaths; probably repeated at least one 2-8 times; perhaps another one 2-3 times.

So, looking at age 80… and, say, Noble Lady…
Born to Rule 8y (08) R 2 (02) C 1 (1) SP 5 TP 1 St -
Cœptir _____ 5y (13) R 1 (03) C 0 (1) SP 4 TP 1 St P
Companion __ 8y (21) R 1 (04) C 1 (2) SP 7 TP 2 St M
Lady _______ 7y (28) R 2 (06) C 2 (4) SP 8 TP 1 St M <- 1st child probably born during this one.
Lady 2 _____ 7y (35)R 2 (08) C 2 (6) SP 8 TP 0 St M
Lady 3 _____ 7y (42)R 1 (09) C 0 (6) SP 4 TP 0St - <- firstborn might be out of the house by now
Lady 4 _____ 7y (49) R 1 (10) C 0 (6) SP 0 TP 0St - <- firsborn probably out of the house.
Lady 5 _____ 7y (55) R 1 (11) C 0 (6) SP 0 TP 0 St -
Lady 6 _____ 7y (61) R 1 (12) C 0 (6) SP 0 TP 0 St -
Lady 7 _____ 7y (67) R 1 (13) C 0 (6) SP 0 TP 0 St -
Lady 8 _____ 7y (73) R 1 (14) C 0 (6) SP 0 TP 0 St -
Lady 9 _____ 7y (79) R 1 (15) C 0 (6) SP 0 TP 0 St -

3 mental stat points, 1 physical stat point, 5 general skill points, 31 career skill points, 6 circles points, 5 trait points (one required to be spent on Mark of Privilege), and maybe as many as 15 resource points.

Nothing too scary; really about 5.5 careers power-wise. While not in the rules as such, it’s pretty much true that the 3rd trip on a given LP entry is mechanically just shy of half a LP, and the 4th and later are pretty much worthless except for building resources.

My initial thought was to move to courtier instead of lady 6 (kids are gone, now doing new stuff as hubby becomes ruler-type)

Courtier ___ 6y (60) R 1 (12) C 2 (08) SP 8 TP 2 St -
Courtier 2 _ 6y (66) R 1 (13) C 2 (10) SP 8 TP 2 St -
Courtier 3 _ 6y (72) R 0 (13) C 0 (10) SP 4 TP 0 St -
Courtier 4 _ 6y (78) R 0 (13) C 0 (10) SP 0 TP 0 St -
Courtier 5 _ 6y (78) R 0 (13) C 0 (10) SP 0 TP 0 St -

She now jumps to 3 mental stat points, 1 physical stat point, 5 general skill points, 51 career skill points, 10 circles points, 9 trait points (three required to be spent on Mark of Privilege, Fop, and Rapier Wit), and maybe as many as 13 resource points.
About a 7-8 career equivalent.

If you feel she’s too powerful, charge an extra point or two for her as a full-burn with that many LP.

Now, if she moves to courtier earlier, she’s actually nerfed more, since Courtier is worthless after the 3rd trip through.

12

You’re right. That makes sense. I guess my rpg brain was avoiding the repeating LP and thinking the power level involved seemed…extreme. Should be thinking fiction first. Makes more sense that way.

Thanks.