Shén: Tianming
The Shén order heaven, hell, and the World through a great celestial bureaucracy. At its head is the Jade Emperor, and from him all power flows downward in the form of positions and titles, privileges and responsibilities: the Tianming, or Mandate of Heaven. This Purview holds sway over the hierarchy of the heavens as well as all mortal bureaucracies, which are seen as Worldly extensions or reflections of the celestial model.
Duration: Condition
Subject: Self or one character
Range: Short
Action: Simple
You name yourself or another with a title imbued with the authority of heaven: “Great Sage, Equal to Heaven,” “Protector of Dogs,” “That One God No One Likes,” or something similar. The bestowed title is a Condition. The target’s title is self-evident to anyone who meets him, and people who need aid related to the title’s duties will tend to come to them for help. The title provides Enhancement 2 on rolls to influence characters or form plans whenever the target is able to take advantage of it, but imposes Complication 2 where it incurs the displeasure of those they’re working with — cats don’t like the Protector of Dogs, and no one likes That One God No One Likes. A character who finds their title disagreeable can resolve this Condition by undertaking a dramatic action that carries significant potential consequences in the service of their title’s duties, finally releasing themselves from its obligations. A spurned loverPurviews | Boons 269
Duration: Indefinite
Subject: One organization
Range: Long
Action: Simple
You place a curse on a bureaucracy or similarly structured organization from within range of either its leader or its headquarters. Any member of the organization conducting its official business faces a +4 Complication. If the Complication is not bought off, the task either takes significantly longer than intended — enough that it occurs narratively “too late” — or it turns out to be misunderstood, resulting in an end product or accomplishment that is not what the character originally intended. When you use this Boon, you can specify a behavior, such as holding weekly prayer rituals or wearing fancy suits, that lets a character ignore this Complication.
Boons
CELESTIAL PROMOTION
Cost: Imbue 1 LegendDuration: Condition
Subject: Self or one character
Range: Short
Action: Simple
You name yourself or another with a title imbued with the authority of heaven: “Great Sage, Equal to Heaven,” “Protector of Dogs,” “That One God No One Likes,” or something similar. The bestowed title is a Condition. The target’s title is self-evident to anyone who meets him, and people who need aid related to the title’s duties will tend to come to them for help. The title provides Enhancement 2 on rolls to influence characters or form plans whenever the target is able to take advantage of it, but imposes Complication 2 where it incurs the displeasure of those they’re working with — cats don’t like the Protector of Dogs, and no one likes That One God No One Likes. A character who finds their title disagreeable can resolve this Condition by undertaking a dramatic action that carries significant potential consequences in the service of their title’s duties, finally releasing themselves from its obligations. A spurned loverPurviews | Boons 269
VERMILLION TAPE
Cost: Imbue 1 LegendDuration: Indefinite
Subject: One organization
Range: Long
Action: Simple
You place a curse on a bureaucracy or similarly structured organization from within range of either its leader or its headquarters. Any member of the organization conducting its official business faces a +4 Complication. If the Complication is not bought off, the task either takes significantly longer than intended — enough that it occurs narratively “too late” — or it turns out to be misunderstood, resulting in an end product or accomplishment that is not what the character originally intended. When you use this Boon, you can specify a behavior, such as holding weekly prayer rituals or wearing fancy suits, that lets a character ignore this Complication.
Innate Power: You ignore all Complications from bureaucratic delay, corrupt officials, missing paperwork, long lines at the DMV, or similar obstacles that impede the right functioning of bureaucratic and official institutions.
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