What Are Passions?

Passions represent deep emotional connections, beliefs, or loyalties that drive your character. They work like skills with a percentage rating.

Examples:

  • Love (Family)
  • Loyalty (Ludus/School)
  • Hate (Rival Gladiator)
  • Honor (Personal Code)

Using Passions

When to Roll Passions

Roll a passion when:

  • Resisting manipulation related to that passion
  • Acting against the passion’s nature
  • Pushing yourself beyond normal limits
  • Gaining inspiration in dire circumstances

Rolling a Passion

  • Success: Gain +20% to one skill roll related to the passion
  • Critical: Gain +40% and recover 1d3 HP to all locations
  • Failure: No benefit, but no penalty
  • Fumble: Temporarily overwhelmed; -20% to related actions

Gaining & Losing Passions

Gaining Passions

  • Start with 1-3 passions (usually 40-60%)
  • Develop new passions through play
  • Increase through experience and roleplay

Losing Passions

  • Passions can decrease if betrayed or circumstances change
  • Can be voluntarily suppressed or abandoned

Reputation

Reputation measures how you’re known by others. Track reputation separately for different groups:

Examples:

  • Arena Crowd
  • Patrician Sponsors
  • Fellow Gladiators
  • The Lanista (trainer)

Using Reputation

When interacting with those who know your reputation:

  • Positive reputation: Easier social interactions, better treatment
  • Negative reputation: Suspicion, poor treatment, hostility

The GM may grant bonuses or penalties to Influence and similar skills based on reputation.

Building Reputation

Reputation grows through:

  • Spectacular victories in the arena
  • Heroic or cowardly actions
  • Gossip and rumor
  • Repeated behavior patterns

Full Rules: Mythras Imperative PDF — Passions & Reputation