Archived-Requiem Boons

The Boon, or Prestation, system is a system of formalizing and acknowledging debts between Kindred. They may be redeemed at any time at by the Kindred who holds (i.e is owed) the boon, within the scope of the boon value. Boons are the currency of a population that can live for a long time, unlike mortal currencies their value doesn't fluctuate as the years pass by and it is not unheard of for some Kindred to keep boons for 10's or even 100's of years. The boon system does not represent a system of indentured servitude, once the favour is called in the boon is gone, and the two parties can continue on their way.
Kindred who wish to make their transactions official have their boons registered with a Harpy (or Harpies) of the cities in which they reside. This allows for a system where a third party is privy to the details such as level of boon and the reasons why the boons were recorded in the first place, although in most cases a recording of the level of boon is all that is required. Should a dispute over the payment of a boon arise, and assuming it was recorded with a Harpy, they can serve as an arbiter in the issue and determine if the required payment type is appropriate with the boon type.
Kindred may choose to not owe others boons because “they don’t want to be in servitude to another”, however not owing a Boon is a disadvantage; if you owe no one a Boon, you are a wildcard. A title such as Sheriff or Harpy or Primogen should never be given to you, for you have nothing to moderate your behaviour or keep you in check. Another way to think of this is if you owe nothing, far from it being a mark of clean “credit' suspicions are aroused. Are you so friendless that no one will do you favours? Are you so miserly that you offer none? Are you so powerless, or useless, that you have nothing to offer? And if that is the case…why are you consuming resources we all badly need? How do we know that you will repay your debts in an honourable and timely fashion? How can you be trusted? Simply put if you have no credit history no one will invest in you.

Boon Types

There are four types of boons in common place amongst Kindred society, ranging from lowest value to highest value they are; Trivial, Minor, Major and Life. To pay back a boon requires an act of similar weight to that of what caused the boon to be created in the first place. What one can ask them for is detailed further down.

Trivial – This is the smallest level of Prestation and represents a small amount of time or effort invested into the favour such as 5 minutes of conversation or action.
Minor – This is the next level of Prestation and represents a large amount of time or effort invested into the favour, equivalent to an entire nights worth of effort up to an entire month worth of action. A Minor Boon is roughly equivalent to three (3) Trivial Boons.
Major – This is the last level of Prestation that many Kindred will actually interact with. It represents a massive effort to achieve a target and could potentially involve quite a dangerous path to achieve. This level of boon can take up to a year to complete the task outlined. A Major Boon is roughly equivalent to three (3) Minor Boons.
Life – The last level of Prestantion available to Kindred, although very few Kindred will actually be bound by it. A life boon is payment for a Kindred to risk their unlife to save another, and is usually the only way it can be awarded. Unlike the other boons a Life boon cannot be asked or demanded, it must be given freely to their saviour. It is also very difficult to wipe out the debt of a Life Boon, as such a Life Boon cannot be traded to or for lower levels of Prestation.

Examples of Boons

In order to give players a better idea of the scale and difference of the various levels of Boons, these are some examples of what would typically be accepted as fair payment of a Boon at each of the various levels, or how much a request that would indebt the character asking.

Trivial

Formally introducing one character to another
Commenting positively or negatively on another character’s statement or activities
Loaning a character equipment for the night
A once off simple menial task, like cleaning another character’s car
One time use of a discipline or power in a single scene
Apologizing for a simple social or political mistake
Once off use of another’s territory usually to feed
Giving a common mundane item or piece or property that would take a single night for the owner to replace
Obtaining simple common information such as the standing or territory location of another kindred
Making someone else use a Trivial Boon

Things that a Trivial can’t do:

Ask someone to betray Clan or Covenant secrets
Physically attack someone
Have someone intentionally breach the traditions
Anything that endangers the Kindred
Break another Boon.

Minor

Aiding someone’s political maneuver for a single month or night
Protecting someone for an evening in a hostile environment without significant risk to one’s own unlife
Protecting a possession or retainer for a month
Granting rights to make use of a regents territory for an entire month, usually to feed
Granting someone the use of most major political position’s powers for a night (e.g. having the harpy strip someone of status, having the Sheriff investigate someone’s territory)
Granting or helping someone obtain a minor political position (e.g. Whip, deputy sheriff, deputy hound)
Giving up a minor political position
Protecting a territory for a month
Attending another clan or covenant’s meetings (e.g. Midnight Mass) for a month
Political supporting to another clan or covenant for a month
A lesson in a common power of the blood (e.g., animalism, obfuscate)
Teaching another member of your covenant a ritual, oath, coil or devotion outside of a formal mentor style relationship
Giving up a reasonably uncommon piece of property or item that would require a month’s work to attain
Lending of an incredibly rare possibly supernatural item or piece of property
Obtaining detailed useful information such as who owes boons to whom, the locations of mundane covenant meeting spots.
Making someone else use a Minor Boon, or up to 3 Trivial Boons

Things that a Minor can’t do:

Anything politically permanent, such as support for another kindred’s position
Anything that is likely to end in the Kindred’s final death
Have someone intentionally breach the traditions
Breaking another Boon

Major

Involvement in a dangerous combat that could lead to death for the debtor
Protecting someone for an evening in a hostile environment with risk to one’s own unlife
Supporting someone politically for a year
Supporting another clan or covenant above your own for a year
Granting or helping someone obtain a major political position (e.g. Sheriff, Primogen, Harpy Priscus, Prince)
Giving up a major political position.
Partial blood bonding to another kindred
Teaching someone an rare or uncommon Discipline or power of the blood (e.g. Protean, Auspex)
Getting someone to turn a blind eye to an accidental breach of a Tradition
Granting someone possession of a Torpored Kindred’s body
Taking sole responsibility for an unreleased Kindred in absence of their Sire
Committing a life threatening political maneuver (eg. Calling a blood hunt, banishing a Kindred from court)
Giving up an valuable retainer or Ghoul
Granting or helping someone obtain a Regency
Giving up an incredibly rare possibly supernatural item or piece of property
Giving up practically any life threatening information
Making someone else use a Major Boon, or up to 3 Minor Boons

Things that a Major can’t do:

Breaking another Boon
Have someone intentionally breach the traditions
Anything that is clearly suicidal

Life

Things that a Life can’t do: Life Boons are tricky things. Practically speaking, they are the equivalent of a Major Boon, without a time limit. Thus, anything that is permissible to ask for with a Major Boon, you can ask for with a Life Boon. The difference is that instead of being bound for a year, the debtor is bound permanently.

Source

Of Boons and Prestation
Examples of Boons
Mind’s Eye Theatre – Vampire the Requiem, pg 294 ‘Prestation’