As a result of Deismaar, some people became infused with a divine spark.
This endowed them with special powers, but also set them apart as the
"natural" rulers of Cerilia. With these gifts, they ought to rule. And so
they are able to win the respect and confidence of the mulititudes. When
some common hero accomplishes a great feat, his as admired, and then
forgotten. Even if imortalized in song, he remains a regular guy who did
something special. But Blooded people are already special, and when they
accomplish a great feat, people just get the sense that this is a special
person doing what they were made to do. Its a difference that sets them
apart as the natural rulers of the rest of us.

Once invested with regency, produced by the regard of the multitudes, a
regent has both the power and the responsibility to accomplish great things
for his realm. That is why a failure to respond to challenges to a realm
cause a loss of existing regency, you have shaken the confidence of the
masses. They now have doubts.

Lets detour and think for a moment about Blood abilities like Bloodmark or
Divine Aura. They advertise the bloodedness of the character and immediatly
inform us all that they are special, set apart to do special things.
Neverthless a character has to still perform the mundane things to work his
way in the world. You still have to meet people, talk to them, and persuade
them. Blood abilities enhance the actions, they don't substitute for them.

That said, lets return to regency. The oaths, promices, favors all still
are required, but they are enhanced by the spark of the divine. Without
these mundane aspects, the aquired regency (goodwill, respect, adulation,
fear &c) has no action to enhance, it cannot by itself raise the level of a
holding, further the mere expression by the regent that he would like to
raise the level is not sufficient to do the trick either. What is required
for regency to influence events is that influential people make the
connection between an action they can effect and the regent's reputation.

How exactly does this occur? Well it can occure in the many ways that
nature herself can cause an event. Perhaps when you go to the spot you
suddenly recall the name of an influential person you can't actually
remember meeting. Unbidden the name comes to you so that you can win a
friend. Perhaps the influential person recalls some assitance one of your
ancestors provided to one of his. In any province there are many people
such influential people, and many people must be brought on board. But in
cases where regency is a factor, its a combination of mundane aspects --
your arguments, presentation, appearance, who you know -- as well as the
mystical enhancements, manifest in many subtle ways.

Kenneth Gauck
c558382@earthlink.net