Bastards, mongrels, and half-breeds; orphans adopted by refugee families that attach themselves to the Legion, or the byproducts of Legionaires and camp followers, or soldiers who find love after taking their oaths; the Legion-born are children who grew up with the Legion rather than having a more conventional heritage. Often of mixed heritage, they exhibit a wide variety of skin tones, hair, and eye colors. Some will adopt the trappings of one parent’s culture; a Legion-born with an Orite parent might claim that parent’s noble title, while one with a Panyar parent will take to dying their hair, or using cosmetics to draw an animal feature upon their face. Others are chameleons, seemlessly blending into local cultures. Most, though, lean heavily into the family of the Legion itself.
Legion-Born Heritage Traits
TRUE GRIT: You begin with GRIT 1.
SOMETHING TO PROVE: When you push yourself, you may take 3 stress instead of 2 and gain both +1d and +1 effect.
COORDINATED: Mark an additional rank of MARSHAL when you create the character, up to a maximum of 2.
LOREKEEPER: Reduce the stress cost of flashbooks invoking the Annals by 1, to a minimum of 0.
I love the idea! Having +1 GRIT to start is really strong. I’m not sure about Lorekeeper there - I’d probably just go with +1 RESEARCH - but I would be hype to play a child of the Legion!
So, the other idea I had considered instead of True Grit (which is, yeah, pretty strong for a heritage trait)
MOTHER’S SON: You may select a heritage trait of another heritage.
But that made me a little twitchy around 'Okay, what madness can a rookie Legion-Born with ‘Every Inch A…’ get up to using that.
(OTOH, I keep circling back around to it, cause I /really/ wanted to just outright steal the Zemyati ‘Loyal’ trait, and this would be a way to do so)
Improved Research doesn’t feel right- that’s more of an education thing, and I don’t think the Legion-Born would receive a, let’s say, robust education while on the road.
@Drew_Stevens That’s a fair take about the RESEARCH.
Most heritages have one trait that’s a little bit surprising or strong like that, and I don’t see this as overwhelmingly strong? Would definitely limit it to a max of two to start, though. And I definitely agree with you re: not making a ‘take a heritage trait from another heritage’. That is for sure opening up a mechanical can of worms.
One thing that’s a bit tricky: we definitely focus on making the heritage traits short! So SOMETHING TO PROVE wouldn’t be what we would come up with, simply because it’s very long. I don’t think you have to have the same constraints though, just explaining. Might be why I’m balking on LOREKEEPER as well.
PACK-MULE: Always equip a Soldier’s Kit and Supplies.
(This is the same free Load as the PIOUS, and while these aren’t quite as immediately and universally useful as a Reliquary, they make sense for a born soldier)
I’m not sure I follow? LOREKEEPER is shorter than any of the ‘start with an extra rank’ heritage traits (like EDUCATED), and SOMETHING TO PROVE is only like, 10 characters longer than 'em. (Compare to NOBLE and TRAVELLER, which are both way longer).
Eh, that becomes redundant in a way no other Heritage trait does after promotion.
How so? That lets a Legion-Born Soldier bring along two kits plus supplies, which, while it won’t be useful every mission, is still really good as it frees up space for Black Shot or other weapons. Compare that to a PIOUS Scout, whose ability is directly made redundant in Normal load.
I’m not sure I follow? LOREKEEPER is shorter than any of the ‘start with an extra rank’ heritage traits (like EDUCATED), and SOMETHING TO PROVE is only like, 10 characters longer than 'em. (Compare to NOBLE and TRAVELLER, which are both way longer).
I think @worldnamer means the name of the trait. LOREKEEPER also shares a name with a Legion Role, which is may cause confusion.
Might be why I’m balking on LOREKEEPER as well.