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So Sombre Legacy on page 138 tells us that heirs start with 1 permanent Shadow point for every Flaw that their mentor had when they died/retired.

Does anyone else see that as a bit harsh? I like the basic idea but this makes legacies an endless chain of regression.

Not really--I really like it, thematically and mechanically (there are a bunch of bonuses to balance things out + it's a great roleplaying hook). But maybe I don't really get why it's an endless chain of regression? Can you elaborate?

It basically means that every bout of madness you get is a permanent shadow for you and your heir, since it nets you a flaw as well.

So if a character has seen a lot and has 4 permanent shadow and the associated flaws, when you retire those 4 points go to your heir as well.

I thematically like the concept, it just seems heavy-handed to have your fresh, new adventurer be just as crazy as the retired one.

It is harsh, but remember that there are no flaws with those permanent shadow points.
The net result is less Hope to spend for a novice character, which is what he need to succeed in this phase of the game.
I'm not sure my players will choose an heir with that drawback, especially when there is no magic items to hand down.

Cheers

Indur Dawndeath wrote:It is harsh, but remember that there are no flaws with those permanent shadow points.

Right. The hero with four Flaws and any number of permanent Shadow points (at least four) will have an heir that starts with no Flaws and exactly four permanent Shadow points.

The heir will be four points closer to being Miserable and possibly gaining Flaws than he would be otherwise, but it's not a foregone conclusion.

If the heir keeps himself away from being Miserable, he might end up with no Flaws and at least four Shadow points, and could name his own heir with no Flaws and no permanent Shadow points.

It's not a slippery slope; it just means the player has to be more careful to stay out trouble than with his last character.

Stormcrow wrote:If the heir keeps himself away from being Miserable, he might end up with no Flaws and at least four Shadow points, and could name his own heir with no Flaws and no permanent Shadow points.

That's something which hadn't crossed my mind, I like it.