The Sorcerer Vocation & the Negotiation K/S Area and Sub-Areas

I posted an older version of this article in another place, but it was in two parts. Updated with more content, and re-edited as a single article for this blog: The Sorcerer Vocation & the Negotiation K/S Area and Sub-Areas.Dave Newton, co writer of Gary Gygax’s Dangerous Journeys; added to the overall work on the Negotiation K/S Area with suggestions and has endorsed/canonized it. The development of which can be seen here at the Triple Oak Leaf forums - Furiously Eclectic People. http://tripleoakleaf.myfreeforum.org/Negotiation_K_S_Area_about2216.htmlThe SorcererThis toughly wicked Vocation was designed using the guidelines in the Mythus Core Rulebook- Appendix E: Creating New Vocations, Appendix L: Vocation et. al. Name Definitions, and the needs of my personal milieu/campaign. The information (and design philosophy) on the Negotiation K/S Area and Sub-Areas is posted earlier in this thread.NOTE: Given the moralistic nature of the associated Sorcery K/S Features and Castings, the use of such requires a Pact as detailed in the Mythus Magick book Pg. 12: Pacts With Evil. This EP is absolutely evil and should never be used as an HP.Vocation: SorcererRelated Vocational Trait: MentalSEC range: 5-9SEC at start: 6Vocational Knowledge/Skill BundleSorcery* 28 SMCapConjuration* 28 (SMPow+SPPow) x 0.5Demonology* 24 MMCapOccultism* 24 SMCapDweomercræft* 20 MMCap sMagick* 20 MRCapMultiversal Spheres & Planes 15 SPCap sNegotiation 12 (MMCap+MRCap) x 0.5 sArcane Magickal 12 MMCapHiero-Ægyptian 12 MMCapCombat, Hand Weapons 12 (PMCap+PNCap) x 0.5 sGemsmith/Lapidary* 12 (PMPow+PNPow) x 0.5Astronomy* 12 MMCapBiography/Genealogy 8 MMCapChemistry 8 MMCapGemology 4 MMCapGeology/Mineralogy 4 MMCapTotal: 255You will need the Negotiation K/S Area definition below for this Vocation.The Negotiation K/S Area and Sub-Areas.Negotiation K/S Area; referenced several times in the books, was left out. I only realized how much it needed to be defined when I was developing The Sorcerer. I designed the Negotiation K/S area to be a counterpoint to the Influence K/S area and since Influence had Sub-Areas, I wanted Negotiation to have them. I also thought it would be dramatic to have a K/S vs. K/S roll off between the Salesmanship Sub-Area and the Haggling Sub-Area at the local bazaar. In addition, the Propaganda Sub-Area vs. the Political Sub-Area would also be an interesting mechanic to role-play.In the Mythus Magick book on page 356 under the heading ‘Things of the Conjuror’ in the second column the entry of ‘Sword’ it states “When dealing with conjured beings, the sword’s wilder will gain a 10-point STEEP bonus toward the Negotiation K/S Area.”In the Mythus Magick book on page 357 under the heading ‘Things of the Sorceror’ in the second column the entry of ‘Sorceror’s Sceptre it states “When the sceptre’s owner brandishes the device in the presence of any being from the Nether Planes, it confers a bonus of 20 points to the persona’s Negotiation K/S for purposes of dealing with the creature.In the Mythus Magick book on page 260 in the first column is a Sorcery Grade I casting called “Negotiation Charm”. This charm seems to call for the aforementioned Negotiation K/S Area.My question was- “Where is the definition of this allusive K/S Area?” I have looked through Journeys Magazine, Mythic Masters Magazine, the Mythus, Unhallowed, and the Changeling material and elsewhere, but to no avail…I envision it thusly-Negotiation (MMCap + MRCap) x0.5 •Negotiation: This K/S is a measure of one’s skill at a discussion with the intent of all involved to produce an agreement of compromise. A good negotiator will have the skill to empathize with all parties concerned. Unlike the Influence K/S, an equitable compromise is the goal of all parties concerned and the terms are always understood. The following Sub-Areas are covered under this K/S:1. Business, Guilds2. Deals, Pacts, and Pleas3. Haggling4. Hostage5. PoliticalA roll against this K/S will often be necessary to convince one or more OPs to agree with each other on a set of terms. Precisely which Sub-Area you will use, will vary greatly with the situation.Sub-Areas 1 and 5 tend to apply to a group of people, whereas 2 through 4 are more one on one in nature.Business, Guilds is the skill at ensuring equitable economic practices between employers and employed as well as between business mergers and buyouts. It cross feeds and is cross-fed by the Economics/Finance/Investing by 10% of their respective STEEP.Deals, Pacts, and Pleas is the skill at negotiating a set of terms between just two individuals. Deals are by far the most common, while Pacts are only carried out between those of an evil nature and always involve servitude of some sort. Cf. Negotiation Charm, MMB Pg.260. Pleas apply mostly to law but can apply in any case wherein the person being pleaded for has no bargaining leverage as one might have in a deal or pact.Haggling or bartering is the skill of driving down an overpriced item to its normal price or better. Most times this will mean a K/S vs. K/S test between the Haggling Sub-Area and the Salesmanship Sub-Area. (Moreover, I ask you what merchant would not have the Salesmanship Sub-Area?)Hostage is the Sub-Area used for mediating the safe release of those held captive by negotiating the demands of the one or ones holding hostages with those in charge of enforcing the law. Hostage is cross- fed by the Law K/S area by 10% of its STEEP.Political is the Sub-Area someone would use when dealing with large governmental entities of any type. This Sub-Area works like mounted combat in that it allows one to use any other Negotiation K/S Sub-Area in the context of large governmental bodies from city-states to empires. It also allows one to understand the basic governmental structure as it relates to his or her home government and thus at the very least keep one from any large mishap of the law and culture.Keep in mind that one Negotiation K/S roll can cover a time span from a few moments to a few hours however, negotiations can last months or longer in which case your Journey Master will inform you as to how many rolls will be required.Also keep in mind that when you fail an attempt (or series thereof) at this K/S, you are unlikely to get a second chance under the same set of circumstances any time soon.A Special Failure indicates that regardless of how far negotiations have gone, they end immediately due to some faux pas on the part of the negotiator. A new re-negotiation attempt, at a -2DR (-1DR if a new Negotiator makes the attempt) at some other time may be attempted. However, significant concessions on the part of the failing party to all other parties involved in the negotiations may offset the -2DR at the Journey Masters discretion.A Special Success indicates that thereafter, such a successful individual gains a +50% bonus to all reaction rolls with all concerned parities. Moreover, the terms reached via negotiations in this way, last longer at the discretion of the Journey Master.Special Successes and Special Failures are the rise and fall of a negotiator’s reputation as word spreads.