Introduced during the character creation chapters, a Passion is any deeply held commitment that has the capacity to influence events during play. Although they can be used as stand-alone abilities (to call them skills is to do them a disservice), passions are further expanded below to explain in more detail how they work, and how they can influence characters and campaigns.
In summary, Passions can be used thus:
To augment another skill, reflecting the depth of one’s feeling and how it drives action. When used in this regard the Passion adds one fifth of its value to a skill being used, as long as the augmentation is thematically and dramatically important.
As an ability in its own right to drive choices, desires, and emotional actions and responses. When used in this way a standard roll is made against a Passion to determine how strongly the character thinks and feels about something. If a roll is a success then the character acts in-line with what the Passion would dictate. If the roll fails then the character can act freely without feeling constrained by the Passion’s drives.
To oppose other Passions – even those held by the same character. This is typically used where two Passions would conflict. For instance a personal love might dictate a course of action that would be contrary to an oath or loyalty. Here use an opposed roll between the two Passions with the more successful determining how the character acts.
As a general measure of depth of commitment, belief, and loyalty to a cause. The higher the Passion’s value, the more committed the character is. Characters with similar Passions can compare and contrast their ratings to determine who exhibits the deeper commitment.
To resist some form of psychological manipulation or magical domination. In certain cases where a character is being forced into performing an act contrary to his Passions, he may use substitute his Passion for the usual Willpower in the opposed roll.
During character creation characters establish up to three starting Passions; however new Passions can be developed at any point during a game session if the circumstances warrant it. One might instantly develop ‘Hate X’ where someone else does something that would strongly invoke hatred to arise. A lord or chief calling for an oath would immediately establish a Passion of ‘Loyalty to X’ as soon as that oath is taken or sworn – something explored further in the Cults and Brotherhoods chapter. Passions developed during play in this way cost no Experience Rolls, and are established there and then. Of course, characters can also choose to establish a Passion during improvement, at the cost of an Experience roll to gain a Passion at its base value: see the chart in the Culture & Community chapter.