Disadvantages like Vow or Sense of
Duty are worth an additional -5 points.
Morpheus Unbound | GURPS | Empire
Certain karmic forces pervade the Empire and impact daily life. The origin of the karmic forces is unknown, but it is believed that the act of abiding by them reinforces them. These forces are poorly understood and often not even recognized. They are a facet of reality and the acceptance of that fact means that few people ever bother to look at them and wonder about them.
These forces value honor, tradition and destiny highly. Severe penalties exist for those who treat their vows, oaths or duties lightly. These penalties vary with the nature of the transgression and the length of time, but might include "bad luck" or negative reaction modifiers from everyone the character meets. (They might not know why they don't like the transgressor, but they just don't.) These forces do not seem to have a personification, nor are they inherently good or evil.
Because of the impact of Karmic Forces, certain Disadvantages like Vow or Sense of
Duty are worth an additional -5 points.
The Karmic Forces also artificially restrict the development of high technology. This is why, even after several hundred years the highest Tech Level in the Empire is 11. (The Imperials want to keep their technological edge, and so rarely share their technology with the other Clans).
There are two "ultimate oaths" which can be taken by anyone in the Empire. These oaths appeal directly to the nature of the Karmic Forces and therefore the oath taker receives substantial rewards. These Oaths are binding as long as the oath taker lives and cannot be foresworn (although, they can be passed to another). It becomes impossible for the oath taker to act against the oath, with preventive penalties ranging from twinges of conscience to total paralysis. Creative rationalization can permit the oath taker to act in ways that may seem contrary to the Oath, but no act can consciously violate the Oath. These Oaths are not available to Player Characters. The Karmic Forces carefully evaluate each person who would seek to take one of these Oaths. Very few survive this evaluation process, thus very few individuals in history have attempted to bind themselves with these Oaths. Any advantages gained by the two Oaths are cumulative. (Dullon Duralloy was the first is twenty generations to complete both Oaths, granting his existence to Emperor Kilgar. This helps explain some of the Dullon's immense power in later generations.)
Right of Guardianship - The Oath taker agrees to do everything necessary to insure the bloodline of the Oath recipient. It is the bloodline that is important and not necessarily the recipient, thus a parent may be sacrificed to protect her child. This Oath is binding for life and cannot be foresworn but can be passed to another. To better fulfill the requirements of the Oath, the Karmic Forces reward this Oath with the following advantages: Unaging, Immunity to Disease, Immunity to Poison, Damage Resistance +15, Reduced Sleep, Dark Vision (color), Telepathy (single skill Mental Shield at Power 5, skill IQ+2, can be improved normally), IQ +1, HT +1, Extra Hit Points +5, Regeneration and Danger Sense.
Right of Command -- Unless it conflicts with the Right of Guardianship, the Oath taker must accept every command issued by the Oath recipient. The Oath taker can question or attempt to "reinterpret" the command (unless commanded otherwise), but cannot violate any command given. Where conflicts occur between this Right and the Right of Guardianship, the Right of Guardianship takes precedence. This Oath is binding for life and cannot be foresworn but can be passed to another. To better fulfill the requirements of the Oath, the Karmic Forces reward this Oath with the following advantages: Regeneration, Longevity, Immunity to Disease, Immunity to Poison, Damage Resistance +5, Damage Resistance +25 v. Generic Energy (+30 total), and +1 IQ.