New Specialization - Seeker of Truth

[Dragon Son]

Seeker of Truth - Warrior or Rogue, Requirements: Perception 2, Willpower 3, Willpower (Faith)

The Seekers of Truth are an organization within the Chantry that serves as a countermeasure to the Templar Order seeking corruption within and outside the Chantry, hence the tedious relationships between the two factions. They are considered incorruptible and they are probably the most devout servants of the Chantry. Only those with an inquisitive eye and strong will are drawn into the ranks of the order as they wield great power through the information they possess for enemies of the Chantry as well as the Templars.

Novice: Incorruptible – It is impossible to sway the Seeker from his duties and his given path, in no way can he be bribed, or blackmailed, into betraying or harming the Chantry, even if he/she performs actions that go against the law of the Chantry it’s always for a greater purpose that will prove beneficent in the long run. Furthermore the Seeker adds +2 to any roll in order to resist possession or magical mind control.

Journeyman: Inquisition – By succeeding on a Perception (Insight) roll with TN 15, the Seeker can understand when the words or actions of another are manipulated through supernatural means (magic), or if a given creature is possessed.

Master: Exorcism – The faith of the Seeker is a tangible force that can drive out corrupted spirits from their victims. As a 5 minute long ritual in which the Litany of Salvation is intoned, the Seeker can perform exorcism on a helpless target. The Seeker and the possessing Demon roll opposed Willpower(Faith) checks, and if the Seeker wins he drives the demon out and forces him to materialize in its own material form. If the Seeker fails he must wait a day before he/she can try again.

[Dragon Son]

I don't have my books with me these days so I can't check which Willpower focus would be appropriate as a prerequisite as well as the Exorcism power for the Seeker of Truth...

[shonuff]

You might run into problems with the novice power. For PCs it could really limit player choice, and it really opens everything up to rules-lawyering, IMO. The immunity to possession/control might be a little overpowered, as well.

[Dragon Son]

You might run into problems with the novice power. For PCs it could really limit player choice, and it really opens everything up to rules-lawyering, IMO.

Well, the way I think of it if the player wants to join the Seekers he probably wouldn't want to betray them. The reason I noted that he might do something against the Chantry only if he thinks it's for the greater good was to leave a window of opportunity for freedom of moral choices, I find it hard to imagine a different reason for a Seeker to go against the Chantry other than not seeing eye to eye with them about how they should act. Besides, noone forces you to become a Seeker, it is your choice alone so I don't agree with you on this one.

The immunity to possession/control might be a little overpowered, as well.

Hmm you know the concept is that these guys are utterly incorruptible, I though that this was a nice way to portrait that. The only ones that are usually subject to possession are mages anyway and the Seeker is not a Mage, this power will of course come very handy when such a situation arises but I don't think it will happen often enough to make this overpowered.

Thx for the feedback shonuff!

[shonuff]

You might run into problems with the novice power. For PCs it could really limit player choice, and it really opens everything up to rules-lawyering, IMO.

Well, the way I think of it if the player wants to join the Seekers he probably wouldn't want to betray them. The reason I noted that he might do something against the Chantry only if he thinks it's for the greater good was to leave a window of opportunity for freedom of moral choices, I find it hard to imagine a different reason for a Seeker to go against the Chantry other than not seeing eye to eye with them about how they should act. Besides, noone forces you to become a Seeker, it is your choice alone so I don't agree with you on this one.

The issue that I see is that that is more of a role-playing aspect of a seeker and not a mechanical aspect. IMO, specializations should deal with mechanics. It also leaves out the possibility of seekers who have fallen, or became seekers for power and not for a belief in the chantry -- although I'm not sure how that fits with the lore; I haven't seen the anime, yet.

The immunity to possession/control might be a little overpowered, as well.

Hmm you know the concept is that these guys are utterly incorruptible, I though that this was a nice way to portrait that. The only ones that are usually subject to possession are mages anyway and the Seeker is not a Mage, this power will of course come very handy when such a situation arises but I don't think it will happen often enough to make this overpowered.

Thx for the feedback shonuff!

I'm pretty sure anything can be possessed. Without getting too spoilerific, non-mages are labelled as being possessed in DA2, a cat and a child are possessed in DA:O, trees and dead bodies are also possessed. IIRC, mages are the predominant possession because of their strong link to the Fade.

[Loswaith]

As I understand it Mages are generaly the most susceptable due to that the Demon/Spirit doen't need some other means of crossing over from the fade to posess them like they do for other things they posess (ie things like a tear in the fade, or someone drawing the demon/spirit from the fade).

I do agree the immunity to corruption and possession does stop the aspect of external posibilities along the line of the common quote "the road to hell is often paved with good intentions" (though that plays more in part to how you want your games/world to play out too). I can understand the seeker may be more resistant to the corruption or posession than others due to their strong faith and devotion to the chantry. You could even let a Seeker use the faith focus to resist these kind of things instead of other focuses such as self-discipline or courage.

The Willpower (Faith) focus would be a good requirement, though I'd likely drop (or reduce) one of the stat requirements unless you are wanting it to be a post level 10 specialisation.

[shonuff]

Of course, this protection against possession could be all based on the notion that the Chantry is an accurate religion. If the Maker is really an absent deity, or even non-existant, would these special powers be granted?

[Dragon Son]

Of course, this protection against possession could be all based on the notion that the Chantry is an accurate religion. If the Maker is really an absent deity, or even non-existant, would these special powers be granted?

Good point,
the way I think of it the existence of these powers does not signify that the Maker actually exists, it is the faith and mentality of the devout Seeker that allows Exorcism to actually be effective. These are not divine powers granted by a faraway god and the Seeker himself would not see it that way, he might think that "my faith shields me", or that "the Maker protects" but this is really just a matter of how one interpretes things and no definite answers exist.

I do agree the immunity to corruption and possession does stop the aspect of external posibilities along the line of the common quote "the road to hell is often paved with good intentions" (though that plays more in part to how you want your games/world to play out too). I can understand the seeker may be more resistant to the corruption or posession than others due to their strong faith and devotion to the chantry. You could even let a Seeker use the faith focus to resist these kind of things instead of other focuses such as self-discipline or courage.

That's the reason I wrote this

even if he/she performs actions that go against the law of the Chantry it’s always for a greater purpose that will prove beneficent in the long run.

in order to allow for "the road to hell is paved with good intentions" stories, each person has a different idea of what is actually beneficient to others. However I feel that if the Seeker is to fall it won't be for sex or money, it will be for an ideal.

The Willpower (Faith) focus would be a good requirement, though I'd likely drop (or reduce) one of the stat requirements unless you are wanting it to be a post level 10 specialisation.

Good point.

Thx for the the feedback, new edit on the way.

[Dragon Son]

Final edit complete.