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It has occurred to me that a mechanic that might reflect this distinction would be one in which higher permanent shadow effectively inoculates you against certain types of shadow gain. Or, at least, reduces the chances of getting shadow (which really is what most inoculations do anyway...they reduce probability.)

That is, once your heart has hardened, actions or events that might result in shadow for the more...innocent... are less likely to faze you. Or to make you sink further into the shadow.

It's probably not needed, and might make things overly complicated, but it could add some nuance/depth to the whole shadow points thing.

This effect that some things hit you harder the first time you do/behold them has come up sometimes related to Corruption.

Also to make the first killing of a character grant Shadow points. And maybe the first killing of a human (even if it is an Evil Man) to grant some more.

It could be interesting for a game focused on the downward spiral of madness and shadow (a Gotham based RPG should revel in those mechanics! ). But in TOR these decisions are probably best left to the LM's and his group's likings. Some groups might prefer a grimer Middle-earth, or a campaign about the losing of innocence from some farm boys of Bree, and the game already provides you with mechanics to do so. The entry "gain Shadow points for watching acts of violence" can be adopted for multiple situations.

TOR, in his own tolkienish way, also handles the growing difficulty to gain Shadow points: the more a character grows, the higher his Wisdom is, and therefore his resistance to be soaked in Corruption.
On the other hand, also his Hope should have diminshed and some Permanent Corruption might have been gained (the losing of innocence), so that while gaining Shadow is more difficult (your heart has hardened), each point gained is more significant towards the final break of the character.
I know that Wisdom in TOR does not represent a heart hardened by harrowing experiences, but it could be fun to be played that way by a player.

Glorelendil wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 19, 2018 12:55 am

It has occurred to me that a mechanic that might reflect this distinction would be one in which higher permanent shadow effectively inoculates you against certain types of shadow gain. Or, at least, reduces the chances of getting shadow (which really is what most inoculations do anyway...they reduce probability.)

I'm sure Tolwen wrote some house rules and published them in OM that dealt with that. Or is my mind playing tricks on me?

Rich H wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 19, 2018 9:10 am

Glorelendil wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 19, 2018 12:55 am

It has occurred to me that a mechanic that might reflect this distinction would be one in which higher permanent shadow effectively inoculates you against certain types of shadow gain. Or, at least, reduces the chances of getting shadow (which really is what most inoculations do anyway...they reduce probability.)

I'm sure Tolwen wrote some house rules and published them in OM that dealt with that. Or is my mind playing tricks on me?

You're right about your mind - it is not playing tricks on you

In OM14 I had an article about Hope and Shadow, and even though it was not specifically geared towards the question of this thread, parts of it adressed a question with similar effects (how to represent "normal" criminals and their misdeeds in the Hope/Shadow mechanic), so that you could easily use those ideas (either as written or further modified) to represent the thoughts mentioned above - good catch

Best
Tolwen

Excellent use of the Summon Tolwen spell, Rich!

Majestic wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 19, 2018 9:08 pm

Excellent use of the Summon Tolwen spell, Rich!

...now roll for Shadow...