The world is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers:
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon!
 - William Wordsworth

Prestation is the monetary system of the Kindred.  Boons should be considered a form of currency among the Kindred and are taken very, very seriously. However, unlike mortal currency, which is tightly regulated by a system of National and International Banks and Economists, Boons function like so much of Kindred Society – its what you can get away with.

The rules here for Boons are guidelines, because the Boon Economy is an In Character System. The Harpy is the main arbiter of what a Boon is worth and whether it can be demanded and at what level. The STs will assist players by being the voice of their Camarilla Lore (Int+Pol modified by Cam Lore for a roll), but in the end all Boon issues must be dealt with IC.

Boons can only be incurred by and owed to INDIVIDUALS, and cannot be incurred by or owed to positions, clans or other groups. Whenever someone does a favor for a Kindred, beyond that individual’s expected duty or station, she is expected to fulfill an obligation to repay the debt.  It is important that she repays any Prestation debts, and it is important that she be sure that all the debts to her are upheld.  In the event that a Kindred feels that another owes her a Boon for some reason, she may demand a Boon from them and any negotiations must be settled between the two and the Harpy. 

 Kindred are often offered favors by others, and when this occurs there can be a number of different reactions.  It is dangerous to offer someone a boon, especially to those of lower status, as you never know when or how it might be called due.  Moreover, once the boon is given, the granter has little say in what will be requested in return. Only if they feel the task is inappropriate to the level of Boon owed can they turn to the Harpy for redress.

The ability to demand a boon is a demonstration of power.  Thus, many Kindred search for ways to “assist” their fellows (even if they have to arrange those circumstances necessitating their assistance). 

The chart below lists examples to be used as a general guideline for determining the value of a Boon.  Obviously, these are not the only acts that could constitute the existence of a Boon. A good baseline to go by is that the name of the Boon represents what level of inconvenience it is to the Character doing the favor. A number of these might be higher level boons if for example the political move is particularly subversive or the plan is dangerous.

Trivial Boon:            One-time favors, unsolicited information, watching over someone for an evening, aiding someone by using a Discipline, supporting someone’s political move, helping with a plan, etc.  Generally requires 25% or less of the resource allowance, influence useage, etc. of the Kindred DOING the favor.

Minor Boon:           Providing needed information, instruction in a rare Ability, using Influences or Resources to aid another, minor Political maneuvering/sway, acting as a bodyguard for an extended amount of time, facilitating passage through a hostile territory, disposing of a threat, helping carry out a plan, important advice, etc. Generally requires 50% or less of the resource allowance, influence useage, etc. of the Kindred DOING the favor.

Major Boon:            Great expenditure of time or resources, instruction in a Non-Clan Specific Discipline, purchasing a location to serve as someone’s Haven (paperwork and all, not just cash), exchange of controversial information, major political maneuvering/sway, helping someone get out of trouble, etc. Generally requires 80-100% or less of the resource allowance, influence useage, etc. of the Kindred DOING the favor.

Blood Boon:            Coming to someone’s aid and suffering injury, being willing to shed blood, saving the life of a Kindred’s immediate kin, instruction in a clan-specific discipline, etc.

Life Boon:            Saving another from certain death when one’s own life is in peril.

In addition to the fact that the level of inconvenience may vary from Kindred to Kindred for the same kind of favor, the listed values of Boons can be adjusted based on the Status levels of the Kindred involved.

These complicated adjudications make the job of the Harpy difficult at best, as she is under constant scrutiny to make the choice that pleases the ‘authorities.’

Two Kindred who agree upon a Boon have the option of registering it with the Harpy.  If they do so, they run the risk that the Harpy will discuss the dirty details with others (although this is bad etiquette on the part of the Harpy).  If they do not, however, there is no guarantee that the Harpy will enforce the Boon, even if a complaint is brought up later.

An Example of  Boon Haggle:

Brutus the Gangrel Neonate: Uhm...Ventrue dude? I'm a little short on cash and, well, I need a new apartment cuz my last one kinda…exploded. Can I have a loan of, say, $10,000? 
Marcus the Ventrue Elder: Certainly. And for this service you shall owe me a Major Boon.
Brutus: Uhm…so, you're wanting the Domain to know that ten grand is a Major inconvenience for you?
Marcus: What?! No! My wealth is beyond compare! Thus…thus it shall be a…uh… 
Brutus: I mean, $10,000 to you has to be…really no big deal, right? 
Marcus: $10,000 is but a pittance for one such as I! A… Trivial Boon, then.
Brutus: Thanks! (cheapskate)
Marcus: Pleasure doing business. (mongrel dog)

Trading Boons:

Boons may be traded between Kindred.  Such a transfer must be registered with a Harpy in order to be acknowledged, though the reason for the transfer need not be registered.

Paying off Boons:

When a boon is collected, it must be registered with the Harpy. Boons can be paid off in full or in parts,  “Split up” into smaller return favors. The Rate of Trade is accepted at 3 of the next lowest level to one. Thus, three Blood Boons to a Life Boon, three Major to a Blood, etc. This can turn into complicated math when you start asking for change, but it means you can get some more practical and immediate results from larger boons. These Split ups must also be registered with the Harpy.

Though boons may be split into smaller increments, they cannot be consolidated. In other words, just because your Kindred has collected 81 Trivial boons over the Sheriff in the past five years does not mean you can show up asking to collect on a Life Boon. The same goes for any combination of boons.

Boons and Positions:

Just as doing one’s positional job will not gain one Status, it will also not lead to a Boon being bestowed.  As an example, if the Keeper of Elysium is able to cover a Masquerade breech, then it is within the expectations of her duty and there are no Boons awarded.  The Harpy is charged with the positional responsibility of adjudicating the worthiness of a Boon if it ever comes into question.

Boons from Beyond the Grave:

If a Kindred who owes your characterar a boon dies as the result of another Camarilla Kindred’s actions, your character may be able to claim a boon of similar value in recompense. The issue must be brought to the Harpy, who will take the Status of both Kindred involved into account as well as the circumstances of the death. The resulting Boon may decrease in value, or even not be granted, but will not increase in value.

Boons and Status:

In terms of the Status system, receivers are considered to gain as many Status Traits as the Boon is worth over the Kindred who owes them (Trivial Boons would be worth one Trait, Minor Boons are worth two, a Major Boon is three, a Blood Boon is four, and a Life Boon is five Traits). These Traits are only relevant between the debtor and receiver; the Status adjustments do not apply to any interactions between these individuals (one or both) and the rest of society. There is no requirement for physical representation of these Status adjustments.

Non-Camarilla Kindred and the Boon Economy:

Non-Camarilla Kindred have no onus to repay boons that they may owe, and they have no voice or standing in the Camarilla with which to secure a debt.  Who is going to make sure that a Giovanni pays you back for the help you gave her?  No One. The Harpy does not care about Independents.  Therefore, Camarilla Kindred deal in Boons with non-Camarilla Kindred at their own risk.

Boons as Backgrounds:

At Character Creation, you may buy Boons owed to your character as Merits at 1pt per level (trivial =1, minor = 2, etc) and Boons you owe as Flaws of the same pt value. Merit Boons must be defiened at character creation (the character who owes you, etc) and CAN be PCs in game that your character traded for to get before they came to Seattle (this MUST be cleared through an ST). Flaw Boons that are not defined at creation will be defined later by the STs, and you may not like it.

Go to the next Rules section: Influences