Organizations (Action)

Heroic Action Role-Play

These rules cover businesses, guilds, ninja clans, and other organizations a player in Action might want to lead or be a part of. It is quite abstract but gives a framework to role-play around. Players should feel free to ignore these rules and just play happy-go-lucky adventurers, using the contacts gained from skills to define their role in the world instead of the more formal rules here.

Organization Setup

An organization has three attributes, Power, Skill, and Attribute. Power is the might of the organization if led by the player, or the characters clout in a larger organization. Skill and attribute is what traits the character uses to advance in the organization and is taken from the normal range of character skills and attributes. It also needs a goal and purpose and should have a description, describing what it does, how it does it, and why. It should also be noted if this is an organization headed by the player or if the player is just managing a division of a larger organization.

Organization Examples

Here is a table with typical organizations based on different combinations of skill and attribute. Naturally, this will vary with the genre; a spy circle is not the same in high fantasy as it is in cyberpunk. The descriptions are only suggestions and pointers, you can go outside the examples. Nor need an organization be only one thing; it is possible for two characters to be a member of the same large organization and use different skills because they are in different careers within that organization.

Skill	Body	Mind	Reflexes
Charm	Retail	Personal Services	Spy ring
Create	Manufacturing Repair Shop	Design Invention	Locksmithing Mechanics
Impress	Foreman Strongman	Management Vocalist	Public Relations Instrumentalist
Know	Exploration	Scholarship	Medicine
Maneuver	Athletic Sports	Dance	Acrobatic Sports
Melee	Thuggery	Fencing School	Ninja Clan
Ride	Hauler	Logistics	Delivery
Shoot	Military	Shooting Academy	Assassination
Spot	Security	Detective	Private Eye

Advancement Checks

Once per adventure, about every three or so play sessions, when there is a suitable spot of downtime, you can make an advancement check. This is a skill roll using the skill of the organization, the difficulty is the Power rating. If this skill check succeeds, Power increases by one point plus an additional point for every ten points of Outcome. If the skill check fails but negative Outcome is less than the attribute of the organization, work proceeds as normal. If the roll fails and the negative Outcome is equal or greater than the attribute, there is a Setback and Power is reduced by three. This can often serve as an adventure hook.

The advancement check is modified depending on the situation at hand. These modifiers are typical, and the GM can easily invent more of his own, possibly to foreshadow future events. Fortune spent on advancement rolls come from normal play sessions.

Situation	Modifier
Organization was involved in the adventure played	+2
Organization was gained a boon the adventure played	+5
Organization suffered a setback in the adventure played	-5