Rule 16-03-10: Expansion of Rule 14-11-1

Summary: This rule governs the creation of free characters, their progression, and the interaction between ordinary characters, protégé mechanics, and the spending of Special Points (SPE).

1. Free Character at Start:

   • Players may roll one free character initially.
   • If this free character is rejected, a "full & real" character must be made.
   • Upon rejecting the real character, players may roll another free character, repeating this process for every subsequent "full & real" character that is rejected.

2. Purpose of Zero SPE Characters:

   • These free characters (or "zero SPE characters") are meant to generate Special Points without spending any.
   • They serve as a contrast to regular characters by offering a simpler, resource-free option.

3. Protégé Mechanics:

   • If a character performs well, the player may choose to create a protégé or nephew, linked to the original character, by spending 1 SPE.
   • The protégé starts with half the original character's earned XP off-stage, potentially accruing other benefits as well.
   • If the XP of the protégé matches the amount of XP earned when the 1 SPE was spent, the protégé receives a bonus—doubling the XP of that target value.

   Example:

   • An ordinary character earns 500 XP and acquires treasure. The player opts to spend 1 SPE to take on a protégé.
   • The protégé starts with 0 XP, while the main character continues to adventure, earning 100 XP in total. However, the main character retains only half of that (50 XP), with the other 50 XP going to the protégé.
   • When the main character accrues 1,000 XP in total (half going to the protégé), the protégé reaches 500 XP.
   • This 500 XP triggers the bonus: the protégé gains double the target amount, earning an additional 1,000 XP for a total of 1,500 XP—surpassing the main character’s current XP.

4. Level Progression and Bonuses:

   • Any levels gained through XP are automatically trained, allowing the protégé to begin with fully realized levels.
   • After determining the protégé's level through XP, if the protégé shares the same class as the mentor, they gain a 50% bonus to their XP total. This bonus is applied after level determination.
   • In the above example, a thief protégé who reaches 1,500 XP would receive an additional 750 XP, resulting in 2,250 XP total, which could accelerate their progression.

5. Introduction of Protégé into Play:

   • The protégé can enter play either upon the mentor’s death or once the bonus XP is achieved (and the mentor retires).
   • The protégé does not need to be of the same class as the mentor. If they are, they will receive the 50% XP bonus as outlined above; however, this bonus cannot grant them additional levels at the outset.

6. Alternative Character Transfers:

   • If narrative circumstances suggest that the new character should have no direct connection to the previous one, the benefits (such as XP) can be transferred to a “stranger” character with a different mentor.
   • However, a 10% penalty applies to the bonus XP in this case.

7. Re-Rolling Ability Scores:

   • Should the player wish to improve their original character's potential, they may spend 1 SPE to re-roll the character's ability scores using an alternate system.
   • If the new scores are superior, they are marked as potential scores.
   • Each level gained allows the player to spend 1 or 2 SPE to shift all ability scores by 1 or 2 points toward these potential scores.

This refined rule codifies the relationship between free characters, their potential successors, and the strategic use of SPE for long-term development and narrative depth.