Honor is the principle sticking point that makes the world of Credence work. This is the reason the streets are safe, why you can leave your horse outside the tavern and expect it to be there when you return. Why your family is safe in your house while you are away.
The honor system is the basis for all player statistics. It amplifies every ability, every skill. Without honor there can be no personal accomplishment. One without honor is at the mercy of a rank newbie who has honor.
Honor! Without it, your life is miserable, wretched and short.
Your lifetime total honor is called your Credence.
Credence grows linearly but amplifies skill logarithmically. This means to double Credence is to increase skill incrementally. This makes it impossible to gain limitless skill in any reasonable amount of time.
Credence is built slowly, painstakingly. And it is lost in a heartbeat. The Credence to be gained in a boon is always smaller than the Credence lost in failing.
So why take on a boon if it’s so risky? Because boons are your way of life. Anything worth doing in Credence is a boon. And all player growth is because of boons. Boons are valued because gaining Credence is difficult.
A powerful Character loses much in failing a small boon. And gains very little in fulfilling it. Rather, give a gift in such a situation. Credence is not changed by gifts.
A weak Character loses much in failing a large boon. And stands very little chance of fulfilling one. Rather take on boons suitable to your skill and station.
This means that new Players spend their time doing small tasks around town, helping their House and Guild, and learning the ropes. Experienced players are out in the mountains slaying bugbears and tracking down legendary artifacts, and teaching newbies in their spare time.
Evil by any other name smells as bad. There is no limit to the depths that Credence can go. Once it passes –1 Credence modifies skills in a way similar to how positive values do. Only neutral skills can be modified by negative Credence.
Anyone interested in playing the bad guy should beware – their repertoire of skills is limited, and doesn't include ANY artifice skills. They will have to depend entirely upon stolen tools and weapons. No decent player (or NPC) will sell them anything, including food. No house or public building will admit them. Get bad enough and decent people will be free to attack, injure and even kill evil players.
Why have evil players? They provide challenges for advanced players. The world is a dangerous place. Without great risk there can be no great achievement. Confronting evil is very worthwhile – providing evil doesn’t overwhelm and destroy good. That’s why evil has such handicaps–to prevent it from overwhelming decent players and sending Credence spiraling into anarchy.
Credence: an MMP world of Consequences
©2009 Credence Software