Growth Opportunities

Starting characters in Relics of the Moon are seasoned professionals aimed at playing short-to-mid-length series. Unless starting from the optional Origin Story, they are not playing out the “zero-to-hero” trope. Because of this, Growth opportunities are concentrated into just a few areas.

Many tabletop RPGs rely on vertical growth to scale characters to face greater challenges. In such games, a character gains bonuses or increases skills in such a way that the numbers associated with a character become permanently greater with each moment of growth (“leveling up”). Relics of the Moon has vertical growth in three areas: Psionic Powers, Faction Rank, and (to a lesser extent) Expertise.

The other opportunities for character growth in Relics of the Moon are horizontal/lateral rather than vertical. That is, characters and Cohorts unlock new ways to use what traits they already have, or acquire new traits with set modifiers rather than give existing traits higher modifiers. Often this is through unlocking Faction traits, creating Psionic Power stunts, or adding Cohort Tactics. While this horizontal growth can open up powerful new options, the modifiers of the new traits do not go upward over time.

Psionic Powers have both vertical and horizontal vectors and so are the target for many Growth opportunities. Powers can become permanently stronger over time as its Rank increases, providing vertical growth. A character can also gain new Psionic Powers, and these can become permanently stronger over time. At Rank 3, Powers can add unique Power Stunts as another path of horizontal Growth. The quest for this raw power is focused in the game mechanics and the world lore surrounding Psionic Powers: The hunt for and trade of Moonshards, Moon Relics, and Solartech reflects that people may become objectively more powerful the more Powers they have and the more each Power is enhanced.

Faction ranks give increasing modifiers for activities related to the faction. A character’s vertical growth in this area also has narrative implications for the balance of power in the world and a character’s place in it. As Faction Rank increases, it unlocks new Faction Archetype traits, providing a simultaneous horizontal growth path.

A third Growth path is swapping out one trait for another, such as one’s Motto or the Cohort Rallying Cry. This is usually driven by a narrative twist in the character’s/Cohort’s story arc.