Icons

Your character’s relationship with an Icon is an important way to invoke their influence within the game world. An Icon is an influential figure in the and may have their own champion(s) or servant(s) actively working to further their cause.

At 1st level, you have 3 Inspiration Points, which can be distributed among your choice of the 9 Icons which exist in the world. All can be used on a single relationship with a single Icon (availability permitting) or spread as you see fit. You may add, but not remove, Inspiration Points any time these are earned. On achieving a new level, you may move points around, either in part in full. Removing points from a specific Icon is somewhat similar to you simply no longer being a person of interest to them. Exceptions may apply where an Icon remains interested in the actions of a specific character.

Total points invested in a relationship with an Icon do not correlate to the strength of any relationship. Instead it reflects the chance of the relationship being helpful.

The Icons Relationships Table summarises the likely consequences of positive, conflicted, and negative relationships with heroic, ambiguous, and villainous icons.*
*An evil-aligned character should transpose the Heroic and Villainous options.

Icon Relationships
Icon	Positive Relationship	Conflicted Relationship	Negative Relationship
Heroic Icon	Spend 1, 2, or 3 points. You’re one of the good ones, a folk hero. Authorities often trust you, and townfolk often love you. On the flip side, you may be called on to serve representatives of the Icon even when you have other plans. You might also be a target of villainous Icons or rivals of the Heroic Icon.	Spend 1, 2, or 3 points. Your intentions are usually good but, for some reason you don’t have the full trust of the Icon. Perhaps a convict who has served his time, or previously in the service of those who may have opposed the ideals of the Icon. You have friends whom the Icon may consider allies but also those who whom the Icon may view less favourably.	Spend 1 point. In the Icon’s eyes, you directly oppose their ideals. You may have contacts or inside knowledge that you can use to your advantage, but should expect trouble wherever this heroic icon has influence.
Ambiguous Icon	Spend 2 points. A hero to some, villain to others, possibly even a monster to a few. The enemies of your friends may still be your friends, and vice versa. Advantages and complications will come from all sides though may vary in stregth ur usefulness.	Spend 3 points. You have a complex relationship with the Icon. One way or another, you can generally find help or hostilities anywhere.	Spend 2 points. You have have a number of both enemies, but also a number of useful friends. You may be a dissenter, unwanted family member, or even a traitor in some way.
Villainous Icon	Spend 1 point. You are familiar with those of a shadier disposition. You are able to gain secrets or secretive allies, but attract trouble from those associated with the Heroic Icons who oppose. Be prepared to justify your continued freedom often.	Spend 1 or 2 points. Despite actively opposing the Icon, you’re also inextricably connected in a way you can’t deny. Your connection sometimes gives you special knowledge or contacts, but it also causes others to eye you suspiciously.	Spend 1 or 2 points. A notable adversary to this Icon, whether due to your virtuous nature or some other reason. You may gain support of those with noble intentions, though you also draw malevolent attention from those who otherwise support the Icon.

To invoke your iconic relationship you require a positive Inspiration Point balance (the initial points are used only to establish said relationship). Roll a D6 for each relationship point you have with that Icon.

On a result of 6, you will gain an advantageous meaningful advantage from the relationship, sans complication(s). Multiple 6’s increase the degree of this advantage. One or more 5’s are still considered a success, though come with some degree of complication. 4’s or below are discarded.

Invoking an Iconic Influence costs 1 Inspiration Point. These are best used in a populated areas, for either outright assistance and useful information.

Iconic Figures are, not normally a direct part of everyday society. They may only rarely make an appearance in person, if at all. Iconic social interaction will usually be with lower-level acolytes, disciples, bureaucrats, lieutenants, barons, priests, etc. In fact, any level of relationship with an Icon is enough to get you noticed by other people who are connected to that Icon.

The easiest way to use Inspiration Points for Iconic Influence is on positive or conflicted connections that generally provide you with outright assistance and useful information.

Negative relationships usually provide inside knowledge, special skills, opportunistic allies, or possibly some sort of supernatural advantage against a villain.

You may find that enemies of your rival see you as an opportunity to strike against that mutual enemy. You might be offered aid, knowledge, resources, wealth, or even magic items from quite unexpected sources, some of which may not always be beneficial, or to your liking.

Negative relationships with a Villainous Icons are more in keeping with the Heroic lifestyle of a Player Character however, you should expect that assistance from a negative relationship may end up being more directly confrontational than that of conflicted, or positive relationships.